Strength of Yours
by Darth-Penmanship23
Summary: Suki and a large number of Kyoshi Warriors come to stay in the Fire Nation capital as allies and servants of Fire Lord Zuko with Suki being made captain of Zuko's royal guard. But are Suki's concerns for Zuko going beyond what her duty, even just her mere friendship, are calling for? Rated T for mild language and suggestive themes. Pairings: Zuki mainly but with others ;
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, this is the first fanfic I've written for FFN, so please be nice. This will be a two part story with the first comprising about four or five chapters and the second just a little more. The story is mainly a romance between Suki and Zuko that takes place in a possible future setting after the events of The Promise Part 1 & 2 from Darkhorse comics, which were the inspiration for me to write a story featuring this pairing. I actually really have come to like the idea of Suki and Zuko getting together, even if just for a brief moment, or even just becoming much closer as friends in the canon and hope they take things further in The Promise Part 3 and later comics.**

**I claim no rights of ownership over the A:TLA universe or its characters except any original characters I have created for the purpose of this unofficial story so don't go stealing my OC's, thank you and enjoy. :)**

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_**Strength of Yours**_

_**Chapter 1:**_

The young Fire Lord fell to the ground panting. His head down and his eyes closed towards the ground. His body ached all over, covered in sweat and dirt. The dark red, suede, tunic he was wearing was now torn all over, from its chest to the end of its long sleeves. Though he had managed to take down his opponent, it was no easy feat. The girl was strong and determined and, although not a bender, was well skilled in fighting against his trained and refined Fire Bending. Her combat prowess was worthy of his admiration. There was no question in his mind why she was the leader of her troupe.

"Are you going to sit there all night, Zuko?" He opened his eyes and looked up. He was a little surprised to see that she was now standing before him, brushing the dust off her green Kyoshi Warrior outfit. She wasn't as fatigued as he was; at least not that she was showing. Suki had this habit of masking her consternation at her failures or defeats so others couldn't see her discomfort. She was the kind of girl who was always out to prove herself, so if she had not success to show for her efforts, she wouldn't give anyone who might otherwise laud her losses over her any visible sign that it bothered her so that at least in this way she proved something. Part of this involved not looking at either those she loss to, those who were watching or who had expected more from her efforts. Her shortly cut reddish-brown hair was now looking scruffier than its usual straight and neatly combed form. Zuko still couldn't help but find it beautiful in the twilight though…

"Yeah, I suppose it is about time we turn in," he said, quickly tossing out that stray thought.

"That was amazing! It was so close this time! I can't wait to see you guys train tomorrow!" To Zuko's left came a bubbly girl somersaulting her way forward into the combat area, stopping in a standing position next to Suki, pushing her face close to hers. Suki gave a nervous grin, simultaneously complimented by her words and uncomfortable with the lack of space between her own face and her colleague's, which was donned with the same style and choice of face paint, albeit less messy.

"Umm, thanks Ty Lee, but it isn't really about who wins." She gave Ty Lee and gentle push back, stepping forward to Zuko, who was still sitting on the ground.

"Need some help?" Suki stretched out her hand for him.

"That's quite alright, thank you. I still have that much energy left." Zuko stood, wiping the sweat from his the top of his head. Ty Lee immediately ran forward to compliment him too.

"And you too, you did great."

"Thanks, but I have to agree it was close one. Captain Suki's abilities are rather formidable."

"Bet you're glad she's on your side, huh?" Ty Lee gave a mischievousness grin, trying to tease her friend. Zuko put on a nonchalant grin, not giving her the satisfaction of getting his goat.

"I suppose I am." He didn't see it, but Suki was very pleased by this answer.

_That's comforting. I'm always worried that the guy doesn't like me. At least it's clear he doesn't dislike me._

"But Zuko...uh... I mean, Your Majesty," Ty Lee covered a giggle from her mouth. She had known Zuko since they were children, so it was hard to keep the formalities sometimes. "You really should practice more of your skills without using Fire Bending. Trust me; Chi-Blocking is becoming a much more popular technique these days, it's important to be prepared should you find yourself in a situation where you can't use your bending powers." Zuko smiled and patted her shoulder.

"I'll be sure to remember that. Maybe you can teach me to Chi-Block yourself sometime."

"Tee hee, I'd like that very much."

"By the way, I've told you before that you don't need to worry too much about addressing me formally."

"Sorry, I just still don't know the right time to speak to you in which way. I don't think I ever have, even when you were just a prince."

"Zuko," Suki's warm voice chimed. "We should get going, you'll need a bath and to get some good night's rest. You have your meeting with the Fire Sages in the afternoon and you should look presentable and be able to give them your best attention. I'd also suggest wearing your liturgical robes during your meeting, so you may want to make sure those are in order." Zuko never had a need for any sort of sheet or scroll to write his schedule on these days. Suki seemed to do well enough at remembering all his duties and meetings, as well as handling the responsibility of reminding him of each detail and "suggesting," new means and methods of improving those details. She always had a suggestion to add, that one.

Suki had been doing that quite a lot since she and many of her Kyoshi Warriors had come to stay at the capital. 7 months had passed since Zuko's former girlfriend, Mai, had recruited their help in warding off assassination attempts by those who still had not come to accept his authority as Fire Lord and Suki seemed to have adjusted very flawlessly so far to the life of the royal court. She had managed to learn the names of Zuko's various advisers, as well as many of the Sages, and had garnered much of their respect for her mannered and elegant charm, a trait found and praised among the best aristocrats in the Fire Nation. Even though she was a foreigner and of a more simple background, this behavior, as well as Zuko's patronage of her and the other Warriors' presence in the court demanded respect. She was known well enough that some of the aristocrats had already allowed their daughters to join the Kyoshi Warriors as a sign of good will and faith in their organization, boosting the Warriors' numbers to the most they had been in centuries. Suki was always close by to Zuko, taking great pride in being one of the most powerful leaders in the world's bodyguard. Zuko had to admit, however, that, while flattered and appreciative of her efforts to remind him of everything from his diplomatic affairs to bathing, he was beginning to feel a bit stifled by her constant advice giving and doting. Even when he was involved in an actual partnership with Mai, it kind of irritated him when Mai began to press herself into his life and personal affairs so strongly. However, at least Suki's felt more useful through some it's annoyances. Mai, while meaning well, never had much of a practical opinion on anything regarding politics and so wasn't that helpful in anything concerning Zuko's political dilemmas and responsibilities besides acting as a relaxing distraction when he needed to take his mind off his stresses at the end of the day. But as these stresses mounted more and more, the pleasure of Mai's company wore off, as he required more solutions than escapes, solutions that Mai, even with her best intentions, couldn't offer. This was probably why, he figured, he had begun to push her out of his life.

"Thank you, Suki," he gave a bow with his head in gratitude. "I should be heading back to the palace, now. Good night." He turned around and walked away. Immediately, Suki walked up next to him and proceeded in the same direction, making sure she stayed at his pace. At this, he stopped. Looking at her, she was still covered in dirt and the usually well kempt satin green robes were now wrinkled. The armor plate on the front had some burn marks on it, the shoulders and forearms of the robes were ripped, revealing some of Suki's flesh which was covered in light scrapes. The hemline of the robes were also a kind of scorched from when she had leaped out of the way of a fire blast. The normal neatness and symmetry of her makeup was now smeared on the upper left side of her face from when she had skid across the ground and the whole design was faded from the sweat of her pores. Suki moved away from him for a couple steps until she realized he was simply standing still and no longer keeping up with her. Turning back to him, she had a look of confusion on her face, as though she was oblivious to why he was no longer moving and instead now just staring at her so perplexed. She noticed he wasn't the only one; Ty Lee was also looking at her, still from where she had been while commending her and Zuko, with the same sort of look as he had, with her eyebrow raised.

"Is..something wrong?" she asked. Zuko looked over at Ty Lee, as though to signal her to speak. She understood that Suki's "good night" was a salutation of departure from both of them.

"Um...well, Suki, don't you think it would be a good idea to go back to our quarters and freshen up before we do our night time runs? After all, you have the first round of guard duty tonight." Ty Lee poked her index fingers together as she spoke, almost afraid of the response she might get. Suki began to lift up each shoulder and examine the torn state of each arm of her outfit for a brief minute. Looking back at Ty Lee and Zuko, she still kept the same look of confusion. She didn't appear to understand the question or Ty Lee's reason for asking it.

"But then, who's going to escort Zuko back to his quarters? I always do so after our spars."

"Normally you're in better shape and the matches don't last this long. Why don't I just escort him this time if it's that important? Afterall, I'm not as messed up lookin' as you are right now." Ty Lee struck a pose and gave a wink, proud of her rather flawless appearance despite such a rough couple hours of training (of course it was by mostly by herself until Zuko and Suki came for their usual match). Zuko gave her his typical sour face. Of course, it wasn't like she struck such poses for anyone in particular or to be vain; she just had always taken immense joy in the Kyoshi Warrior fashion sense.

"I'm...not sure if..." Suki didn't know how to answer. Ty Lee was kind of right, but Suki just didn't like the idea of anyone else doing the job without her. She couldn't exactly explain why.

"Well, as much as I appreciate your concern, ladies, you'll be happy to know it isn't necessary." Zuko closed his eyes and made his way ahead of Suki toward the set of steps that led out of the combat ditch. "Why don't you both go back to the dorms and relax for a little while? I think I can manage on my own." Zuko suddenly felt a gentle tug at his sleeve, just above his wrist, as he began to traverse the first step. He turned his head back around to see Suki daintily holding the cloth with her gloved fingers.

"With all due respect, Zuko, I think it would be better if you had an escort in your condition and as captain of your royal guard, I think between Ty Lee and myself, as much as I admire her abilities, I am the most suited of us two. It won't hurt you to have some extra security. And it won't take me long to get back to the dorms from the palace, and while I admit my appearance is a little...rugged at the moment, I still have plenty of energy left in me." Suki gave him a reassuring smile.

Staring at her cheerful face, he let out a sigh. "Alright," he said."If it's that important to you." He nodded at Ty Lee to head out, to which she gave a very theatrical bow and danced her way in the opposite direction.

As Ty Lee twirled happily about to whatever made up tune she had playing in her head, she couldn't help but take one more look at Suki and Zuko who had already ceased their attention of her. She had always felt that some of Suki's behavior around Zuko was rather strange. It felt to Ty Lee like Suki was always trying to be so "involved" in his work and habits. She even made it staple to meet him outside his bedroom every morning after he had bathed and changed into his royal garments. Even though Ty Lee tended to follow Suki around and thus was often where Zuko was by default, even she took time away from Zuko. It seemed like Suki only ever spent time around Zuko or doing things that concerned Zuko personally these days. Her attitude towards the Warriors in general tended to be more abrupt and professional. She hadn't been bathing communally like most of the other Warriors did and instead she bathed at odd hours by herself. Ty Lee had also heard that Suki only seemed to speak at all to the other girls these days when she had orders to give, something she thought might have just been the coincidental circumstance when she was around her. Making small talk with her didn't seem to get anywhere or amuse her, not like it used to. When Zuko wasn't around, she was very short spoken. She'd also leave to go help out Zuko with even simple things without informing anyone else. Two weeks ago, Ty Lee and Fei had to lead the weekly group training exercise because Suki decided to, without any notice, go help "supervise security" during Zuko's tea time with Master Jeong Jeong even though Zuko had said it was unnecessary. An innocent enough deed, but the sudden negligence of the usual Kyoshi Warrior routines stood out and added to a list of odd behavior.

Ty Lee had only been part of the Warriors for little over a year and a half, but she still found herself agreeing with some of the girls who had been in the school for longer that Suki never seemed to act so forgetful and unorganized. Of course, Ty Lee had also heard some...rumors from some of the girls concerning the alone time Suki would spend with Zuko "playing Pai Sho," and concerning her veiled, yet still vaguely noticeable, discomfort when Zuko spent any time with any of them without her around. Ty Lee of course knew such rumors weren't something to take too seriously, as the facts could be misunderstood from person to person or things could be over exaggerated. She didn't think many of the other Warriors took them seriously either, but there was an almost universal suspicion of Suki's change in behavior. Some, like Ty Lee, were more concerned personally while others, like Fei, had more political concerns about the efficiency of the Warriors' leadership and the maintaining of themselves as an organization loyal to but not limited by the reign of the Fire Lord (as per the guidelines set by their alliance). Suki managed Zuko's personal security, but their agreement was that the internal management of the Kyoshi Warriors and the traditions of the Warriors were not in the hands of the Fire Lord to change. Again, these worries were probably nothing, but Ty Lee could just feel something strange about Suki's "aura." It was constantly shifting between happy and sad on a dime, but this happiness and sadness were each an extreme caliber, each a different color, than what she used to see in Suki and certainly it wasn't the same color as the auras of most other people she saw in similar moods and situations. At first it was a subtle thing, but it became ever more manifest, particularly these last couple months, as time went on. Zuko too, from what Ty Lee could see, experienced a change. Shortly after Mai left, his aura was extremely grey for awhile. Now, the aura "blinked" between two moods, just as Suki's did, between two general colors, but of unique hues. Zuko seemed to shift between the same color as Suki's happiness and a furious orange-red, most likely from a deep seated anger, which wasn't too uncommon for Ty Lee to see in him. The shared color was like a swirl of rose red and cherry blossom pink. When they were together, these sudden shifts, from contrast with one another, to a sudden convergence that became like a seemingly never ending spiral caused an odd sensation to pulse through Ty Lee, a...throbbing heat to pass in and out of her without her intention. It was like being caught in the middle of an electrical current moving between two metal poles, dying down completely, restarting at full force and dying down again to repeat the cycle. There were times when the "current" starting from one or the other end overwhelmed her, prompting her to sit down for a breath. She masked these swoons easily and effectively. She had experience before with powerful sensations brought about by the spiritual auras of people she knew and was well trained to not be overtaken by them, which was dangerous for people with her unique skill. She doubted anyone was the wiser, let alone Suki or Zuko, when she was with them.

Ty Lee narrowed her eyes in a half-serious, half playful curiosity at her captain of the royal guard and teacher in the trademark fan combat of Avatar Kyoshi.

_I wonder if there **is** something more happening that I'm not aware of between those two? Hmmm. Nah, it's… probably just my imagination. It's Suki for goodness sake. Though I have to admit, Zuko always looks so graceful in his bending, like a trapeze artist without the wires, so beautiful and...wait a minute...what do I mean by that?_

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"_Oh, Captain Suki, what are you doing out this early?"_

"_I thought I'd start handling most of Zuko's escorts personally."_

"_Huh? But why ever so? Don't tell me I haven't been doing a good job."_

"_No, it's not that. I just think it makes more sense for the Captain of the Guard to deal with the Fire Lord more personally from now on. I already know Zuko pretty well and as leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, it'll be easier this way to discuss matters of concern to the both of us."_

"_Aww, Suki, dear, don't tell me you are trying to steal my darling Zuko away from me. You cuckolding little thing, you. You're breaking your old friend's heart here!"_

"_W-WHAT ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT!"_

"_Mind you, I'm not so keen to give up my little royal fire flake without a fight. BUT, if you just wanted to share him with me, I might consider a schedule to both our liking. Haw haw haw!"_

"_Shigeko, please. Can't I go a day without hearing your gibberish?"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

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_"Argh! Why would I say that? So stupid!" _

_"This is my fault! I'm so sorry! When I asked her to talk to you about your father, that wasn't quite what I had in mind."_

_"Suki! But how did you know..."_

_"I followed you yesterday morning. Sorry about that too. We just wanted to know what was going, to see if we could help in some way. The Kyoshi Warriors are really worried about you, Zuko...**I'm** really worried about you."_

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Suki looked over to her right and saw the moon's reflection in one of the ponds that were closeby, how it seemed to make the water sparkle as it rippled gently from the pitter pattering of the feet of the tiny turtle ducks who had made it their home. The red and pink flowers spread out in patches all across the wide and grassy area swirled together as the moon made them just faintly transparent in front of one another so that their colors could mesh. For reasons she couldn't explain, this pink and red combination made Suki feel at home more than anything else at this moment. She inhaled deeply, trying to soak in not only the sight, but the sound and smell of the whole scene. This wasn't the first time she enjoyed it. She saw the palace garden many times nearly every day, and not just the royal garden, but the many others situated in various other neighborhoods of the Caldera. She had seen this garden on a full moon and of course it was breathtaking as well, but something felt nice about the moon when it was just this size. Perhaps there was something about the fainter light and how the other stars shined brighter and more noticeably than when the moon was at its peak, but not quite enough to overshadow it like when it was at crescent.

"Lovely night, as usual, wouldn't you agree?" the silence between her and the king walking right beside her was broken by her soft voice which blended seamlessly into the setting of the tranquil, lunar lit, marvel around them.

"Yeah..." Zuko, of course, wasn't looking at the spacious garden at all, just at the ground before him. His mind had drifted. Or rather, he had willfully shut out the whole scene around him. Looking at the garden these days reminded him too much of the time he and Mai had spent there, day and night, and the time he spent with Mai reminded him too much of the time he had also spent there with his mother, Ursa, before she was so unjustly stolen from him. While his friend and bodyguard absorbed the glimpse into a reflection of a heavenly paradise, he saw nothing but a field fertilized by his shattered heart and dreams. His eyes looked over at her while she walked in the moonlight next to him, the occasional shadow of a pillar from one of the nearby pavilions or a tree brushing across her face. The peaceful smile on her face made them squint with a hint of anger. Everything about her expression as she looked out made him boil a little inside. It was odd to him, just a little, how before they had entered the garden, he felt rather at peace, but something about this place...the minute he walked into it was like something else ignited inside. And whatever it was, it was angrily directing itself towards her. It could have been because she just happened to be the only other person there or it may have had something to do with the fact that it was her of all people that was there.

After all, it was because of her that Mai broke up with him in the first place. If Suki had not told Mai about his meetings with his deposed father for advice on how to cure his sleeplessness and paranoia caused by the stress of being a monarch, Mai would have never known and probably would have stayed. Mai had grown tired of Zuko's secrets and keeping to himself, but until Suki had told her of his last secret, after invading his privacy by (ironically, he might add) secretly following him herself to the prison where Ozai was being held, Mai had forgiven him and during the situation with Ozai he had sworn to himself it would be the last time he would have to keep something so big from her. But **she** had to ruin everything with her nosiness.

Even now, she couldn't help but interfere in his life, following him around all the time, like he wasn't strong enough to protect himself. He had thwarted most of the attempts on his life that had come in the first year of his rule, before Mai had asked for the Kyoshi Warriors' assistance, with his own combat skills, skills Suki's currently ruffed up state were a testament of. Always she was telling him "Don't forget this and that," and "You should remember that you need to blah blah blah." She may as well have started pinning notes to his chest like he was some common school child every morning, a feeling increased within by the fact that nearly every day these last few months, she was up early enough to see him to his throne room from his private quarters. And she was always trying to poke and prod him into telling her his problems even when he had refused to tell her. Why should he have to confess his troubles to anyone if he didn't want to. He wasn't so weak that he couldn't solve his own problems ON his own. He didn't need any drama hungry woman, whether it be Suki or Mai, starting some police investigations every time he so happened to wake up on the wrong side of the bed!

There was also the annoying quirk that she had of adding her own little cherry on top of whatever he asked or ordered of her. She could not be satisfied with just doing **exactly** what he told her to do, without doing anything more or less. No, she had to add some signature of her own. Heaven forbid that Zuko's decisions were efficient enough by themselves! Why, just a couple months earlier he had a meeting with his generals over the new defense budget, and she had pushed herself to the forefront of this responsibility despite the fact that he only ordered a simple message to be given. He had been late to the meeting due to being tied up in a previous engagement investigating the conditions and progress of the mental hospital he had sent his sister, Princess Azula, and asked Suki to reassure the generals that the delay of his travel back to the capital would not require a rescheduling of the meeting. She had done more than this by arranging a feast and some entertainment to be provided for them until Zuko's arrival, which rolled over surprisingly well, considering that some of the most influential guests were older military men who served under Zuko's father and even grandfather and were more used to strictly cut and dry exchanges in the court.

Zuko had replaced most of the high military command with younger generals and admirals he knew had no strong sympathies with his last three predecessors, such as the former Lieutenant Jee, whom Zuko had traveled with during his banishment, and General Mak. Most of the older generals were guilty of their fair share of war crimes, so it was relatively easy for Zuko to dispose of them, but some, while earning medals of honor from Fire Lord Azulon and Ozai, had no recorded conduct that Zuko saw as morally questionable. Sure, they lead some successful attacks against the Earth Kingdom, conquering many new territories, but for the most part this was just them following orders, failure to do so would have resulted in banishment or death. They were not in any position to so easily question the commands given to them and they were not guilty of doing any intentional and malicious harm to civilians and non combatants. Zuko also understood, after having seen the older colonies in the Earth Kingdom, how some Fire Nationals could see their being benefit in the expansion of the Fire Nation's territory and culture without necessarily agreeing completely with the moral character of the current monarch and his immediate cabinet, as such expansion is just as likely to bring benefit to both the conquered and the conqueror as it is to bring oppression and genocide. The end result is not always the same in every situation.

While Zuko was wary of these older ones' ambiguous loyalty to him, he still needed their expertise and experience to balance out his new military. Showing them that he was a competent leader of good judgment despite his young age was important. He had worried the whole trip back from the mental hospital that perhaps his check with Azula's psychiatrist would end with the older generals feeling disrespected. However, when he had finally come home, prepared for angry glares from the prudish elders, he arrived to the sound of compliments.

Apparently, Suki had not only managed to entertain the gentlemen, but had also managed to break the ice enough to discuss their military and economic proposals. With her own expertise from living on Kyoshi Island, which had adopted an isolationist policy in order to stay neutral during the Hundred Year War, and occupying high status with the Kyoshi Warriors who were the main forces of defense for the tiny nation against both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation occupation, in addition to having fought and observed the Fire Nation military herself, she was able to "trim the unnecessary fat" that layered the bills the generals had planned on presenting as she conversed with each of them. She knew very well how one defends a country on a budget. Her formal demeanor and respect shown to her elders (matched only by the most well bred and disciplined young nobles in the Fire Nation) had worked its way on the old men's hearts as well, allowing her to speak on Zuko's behalf with a clout of authority. The oldest general of the group, a man who had first been promoted to the rank at the age of 23 under Azulon's reign, remarked: "Surely, if your grandfather had the judgment and wisdom as you to have found such a girl to act as his vizier, my heart would have been more sorrowful at the news of his passing as the empire would have seen a golden age like no other with such minds and character behind the throne."

At first Zuko was happy, in jubilation even, at this fortunate turn of events. The joint proposal that Suki had managed to work out with them was virtually flawless and would make certain that the funds within the Imperial treasury were intelligently spent in the most productive, yet cost effective, manner. Zuko wondered since then, however, even after the compliments of his oldest military officer, if the same end results would have come about had his return not been delayed, whether he could have come up with a measure from the suggestions of his military officers as good as the one she produced on his own. Maybe he didn't deserve such compliments after all, and maybe Suki knew it. He tried to throw out this nagging question due to the discomfort it brought him when he could not answer it but it had since repeatedly reared its ugly head. And every time it did, it felt like rabid dogs inside him were tugging as hard as they could at the leashes that held them. Maybe this was part of the anger he was feeling at Suki right now. Not only was this girl always giving him advice, asserting herself into his life and always showing this uncomfortable motherly concern over him within almost every fraction of it, but almost every single time she did...she was right in doing so and her intervention had positive results when they otherwise would have had, at best, mediocre results if Zuko had tried to handle everything on his own, from his diplomatic meetings to his public appearances. Was it mere coincidence that the confidence in his rule had been increasing since her arrival? The only thing he could think of that Suki had failed him in was the situation with Mai, where she had screwed everything up completely and that was the one thing he had wished she hadn't failed in. There were so many other things she could have failed to do for him. She could have skipped out on so many of her duties, forgotten to give him memos and made him miss dozens of appointments. She could have let assassins sneak into his bedroom while he slept 100 times over, instead though, that was the only failure to him she had committed and for Zuko it hurt more than 1000 assassins' daggers. That one thing that would never have happened had she just not been there or had minded her own business. But not only did she fail there, she had henceforth succeeded in doing everything possible to make him feel like he was completely incapable of handling the duties of Fire Lord on his own, in making him feel like a child who needs his hand held the whole way. She had practically held his hand just earlier when she told him, HER superior, that he shouldn't walk to his own bedroom by himself, after he had bested her in a fight and had said already that he didn't need her help, but, of course, SHE had to contest HIS judgement. She undermined not only his talents but also his kingly authority! The authority that fate had chosen to gift him for all the pains and sufferings of his life. Were this the reign of Ozai, this girl's face would have been more scarred than his own by now. Flames of rage burned inside him at the thought of all that could have been were it not for her, they burned at the thought of all those who called him weak and pathetic his whole life (his father, Azula, Zhao) whose opinions that the need he had for her assistance only confirmed. Watching her smile at the garden, the once sanctified place in his heart, now defiled once again, thanks to her, was disgusting...

Suki darted her eyes over to him and noticed his studying of her. She turned to smile at him, assuming his stares were of good intention. He did nothing but divert his attention back forward. His fists clenched at his side. Suki was confused at the rather plain and stone face he wore. She thought that perhaps he was feeling a little under the weather, but then remembered how today, before their friendly training session, a little bit after high noon, he had met with Mai's father, one of the regional governors. Maybe that's what was occupying his mind. He did seem a bit more...aggressive than usual during their spar. Originally, she had brushed off the boost of strength as just part of the expected improvement from regular practice, but maybe he had that on his mind the whole time. Mai may have wanted nothing to do with him anymore, but her family was very powerful and he was constantly having to work and associate with them on a frequent basis, even if Mai herself refused to see him. A wave of guilt suddenly broke over her.

_For all my trying to help him to keep his life in order, I still can't seem to get him out of the mess I drug him into._

"H-Have you been sleeping well, Zuko?" Her voice faltered. Zuko didn't even look at her this time. For a moment, it seemed like he was planning on ignoring the question.

"Yes, I have," he said firmly. "Thank you very much." His "thank you" felt more like a veiled "hush up." Suki's guilt was now replaced with worry, nevertheless she pressed on with her questions.

"Is..is something the matter? If there is, you always know...you can talk to me about it, right? I'm always here for you if you need something or somebody to talk to." Zuko's finally looked back at her.

_Just shut up, already._

"What could possibly be the matter that I'd need discuss it with you?" Suki just barely caught the condescension in his tone. Her face frowned. Something HAD to be wrong.

"Well, I know that when some of the governors came to see you, Mai's dad was with them...that must be awkward for you to do."

"Hmph, not really. No. The governor's a professional and so am I; we don't let...personal matters such as that get in the way of our duties to the country." The path they were taking to the exit of the garden began to end and the shadows began to get thicker as the trees to their sides became less apart sewn apart from one another. Zuko suddenly seemed to be getting ahead of her, but it wasn't clear if he was moving faster to get away from her or if she was trying to create respectful distance by slowing down. Perhaps it was a little of both. She clutched her hand at her chest. Should she just be quiet now? Something told her to do just that, but next to it something else whispered to her to continue.

"Have you... spoken to Mai lately...even at all?" At this, they both stopped. Zuko's hands folded behind his back. Not looking back at her, he said with his deepest voice possible "No, not since she left. I've sent a couple letters since then...but I doubt she's even read them." Suki felt within herself a deep pity not just for her superior, but for her friend. When she had first met Zuko, it was as an enemy. He had arrived at her home village looking for Avatar Aang and had burned it down but since then he had redeemed himself by not only joining forces with Aang against his own father but helping her escape from The Boiling Rock when she had been imprisoned there by his sister. Even though he didn't have to and it was probably going out of his way for him, he did it for Sokka's sake and even helped free Sokka's father from the same prison at the risk of loss or imprisonment of his own life just to prove to her, Sokka, Aang and the others that he had changed from being their enemy to being their ally, to being their friend. She was certainly grateful to Zuko for all he had done to end the war against his father and bring peace to the world. With her friendship to her former enemies Ty Lee and, to a lesser extent, Mai after the Hundred Year War's end, she really started to bond with Zuko more than she did on their travels with Aang, when she had spent more time with Sokka than anyone else of their little band. However, he was still always very reserved around her, as he had always been with anyone, even though he didn't ever openly object to her company. For her, Zuko was more and more like a kind of celebrity that was difficult for many people to touch. Indeed, she admired his skill, determination and power much like one may admire a famous concert musician for his or her musical talents and public persona and even if Zuko didn't always open up to her, she was often just honored to be in his presence regardless. And in the off-chance that Zuko did let her get closer to him on a more intimate level of interaction or conversation,, in spite of its subtlety, it had a lasting effect on her and she left feeling more honored than usual. But Suki could never be sure if he really enjoyed her presence or if he was just humoring her and this often killed the high that the remembrance of such moments brought her and replaced it with doubts, doubts that only made her feel overwhelmingly inadequate.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "An issue of trust isn't easy for some people, particularly us girls, to get over," Suki so desperately wanted him to keep faith that things would work out for the better. "But, I'm positive that Mai still does have feelings for you. Maybe she just needs some more time to herself or, if you wouldn't mind, might I suggest...I go talk to her sometime?" Suki saw Zuko flinch for a second. The whole thing with Mai was a touchy issue for him she knew and she hardly ever brought it up due to the fact that it easily perturbed him, but Suki felt this was as good of a time as any to suggest a solution. Zuko just stood there without so much as a peep.

"I know it may be potentially awkward, but may be the best..."

"You want to know what** I think **is best?" Suki was taken aback by Zuko's fairly raised voice and sudden interruption. Hands still folded behind his back, he finally turned to face her. His face scrunched in foreboding scowl that made Suki take a step away.

"I'd suggest that my meddlesome 'Captain of the Guard' start remembering her place and cease her attempts to pry and interfere in my personal affairs, **especially** giving me advice on how to solve a problem of mine that SHE is responsible for in the first place! And she should be grateful that I, the Fire Lord of this great nation, in my mercy and generosity, forgave her this crowning moment of stupidity and permitted her continued service in my court. She may also find it beneficial for her career to refrain from this ongoing pretending as though she were my mother or my wife, the two things she will never be to me, to whom anything but the tasks I have charged her with are any concern whatsoever!" He leaned over to her. "Now **that **is something I certainly would not mind in the slightest. Would you agree that is an ideal suggestion as well, Lady of Kyoshi?"

Suki was motionless. His voice carried with strong, angry authority, not in the form of a scream, but in a deep and collected declaration like one makes in a speech to dignitaries, like words written on a decree in royal parchment. A part of her wanted to be angry right back, a part of her wanted to argue with him, but she found herself whimpering inside. Why? Normally, she'd challenge any man or woman who put her down in such a manner, even to the point of physical combat. Where was that strength now? It was nowhere to be found. Perhaps...because in her heart of hearts she found what he said to be true. She had actually been questioning her actions herself lately. She had wondered if she was overstaying her welcome or overstepping her boundaries as a simple bodyguard, but she had brushed this aside either because she thought Zuko appreciated her help or because she felt obligated since the whole thing with Mai to make it up to him by proving herself more and more useful. But instead of being pleased, Zuko had just confirmed what she had perhaps known deep down all along, all her efforts to "help him," since coming here to the capital did nothing but convolute his life and serve to irritate him. She had thought that she was helping to alleviate his stresses, but who was she fooling? She was a stress! Maybe she should have just stayed on Kyoshi Island where she belonged or at least with Sokka back in Yu Dao.

She looked into his yellow eyes. They had apparent calmness to them, but the anger was self evident within them by their menacing half closed expression. Even though he was hardly any taller than her, she felt as small and frail as a mouse, a feeling she realized she had never felt before in her life of achievement. In her chest, her heart panicked, just like a mouse cornered. And it beat more rapidly and more painfully the longer she stared back at him. Her eyes in contrast to his were wide with surprise and a creeping sadness as the whites turned red from the welling of tears she was forcefully holding back. She tilted her head down slowly in concession before they became more noticeable.

"Yes, Zu-" suddenly it felt wrong to say his name. He had just made it clear he despised her lack of professionalism. "I mean...Your Highness. I think that sounds like a good idea."

"Very good, I was hoping you'd say that." Zuko proceeded to walk the previous direction as before, feeling quite triumphant and proud of himself. Suki had stopped following him and just stood there looking at the shadows. Noticing she wasn't coming with him he said to her: "You can head back to the Warriors' dormitory; I believe I can manage my way on my own now."

"Yes sir," She made her way back the opposite way, her head still downcast, but not before looking at his back one last time to say: "Good night...Fire Lord."

As she said these last two words, Zuko was already making his way through the gate that led out of the garden, but he stopped once again and looked over at her walking away so defeated. For a moment his feelings of pride over his display of strength and his bitterness for her faded and were replaced momentarily with a different feeling. The way she said "Fire Lord," just then wrestled something within him, something...familiar. He went on his way, pondering this uneasiness.

Suki's heart pains continued with each step. Maybe she needed to see a physician or something. The recent exercise may have hurt her a little more than she thought, and Zuko's confrontational attitude didn't exactly put her body at ease. As she further approached the exit on her end, she looked back out at the gorgeous moonlit garden with its swirls of red and pink. For some reason...it didn't feel so gorgeous to her anymore.

* * *

"_Zuko, there you are. You almost had me worried. I couldn't find you."_

"_What? Oh, good evening, Suki. How may I help you?"_

"_Were you still coming to the festival at the palace garden?"_

"_I gave permission for it; I never said I was going."_

"_You're not going to go? But why? Almost half the capital is coming. I'm sure most of the guests expected you to come."_

"_I just don't want to."_

"_Nothing's bothering you, is there?"_

"_And what could be bothering me?"_

"_I don't know, but I'd hate to see you just sit here and play Pai Sho by yourself all night."_

"_You don't have to see me. You go ahead and have fun at the festival. I have plenty of guards left in the palace to give me company if I desperately need it…"_

"_Would it…be alright if I stay and play a few games with you instead? Besides, most of the Warriors are going to the festival, so you could use a few more around here to protect you if you plan on staying. And…I know for a fact that Pai Sho is more fun with an opponent. Again, if you wouldn't mind."_

"_...I...no...I actually wouldn't mind that at all. Sit."_

* * *

_Author's Note:_

**That ends the second chapter, just a little more to go! Since a reviewer asked, this is a story that takes place after the A:TLA-The Promise comic book series, where, thus far in that comic, Suki has accidentally caused Mai and Zuko to break up by telling Mai that Zuko has been meeting with Ozai late at night which makes Suki feel extremely bad (the beginning of this chapter is a quote from Part 2). This story contains quite a few references to those events. Although The Promise has not ended yet, I wrote this story as a hypothetical to keep me and other Zuki shippers entertained until Part 3 of The Promise is released and we see where, if anywhere, the Zuki ship goes in the canon.**

**A word on the italicized quotes separate by lines from the rest of the text: these are actually flashbacks, a couple of them are from the canon (specifically The Promise Part 2) and others are my own creative invention. I did this to give some quick and effective character development within the back story of these events by highlighting the character's unique interactions with one another as time has progressed in the universe. ;)**

**BTW, if you see any huge spelling or grammatical errors, let a guy know. I check over these a lot before finally saying "Done!" but am always just a little paranoid I missed something even after dozens of proofreads.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

The sleepy eyed girl rested her chin in her hands, breathing a sigh of boredom. The skyline of the city and the mountains peaking up into the night far in the horizon entertained her a little more than the party behind her. Things this last month had just not been as exciting for her. When her father had moved her and her family to a new city, the change in pace and setting for awhile kept her amused. She had made some new friends and it wasn't like there was **nothing** to do here. Lately, however, all this "change" had set in finally and perhaps what she truly felt was just a distracting nostalgia, as opposed to pure boredom, for the life she left behind...or rather the life that had died what felt so long ago.

"Hey, Mai, what are you doing over here at the window?"

"Huh?" she straightened herself up and looked over at the two girls making their way to her. One was a dark skinned girl about her size that shared Mai's yellow eye color. Her hair was as black as Mai's and cut extremely short, extending no more than the length of an entire finger nail, and lightly spiked, giving her a very tomboyish look. Next to her, the girl who called for Mai was very short, barely above half the size of the tomboy girl she was walking beside. Her brown eyes big and watery. She wore a petite, perfectly, round bun of hair with two wooden skewers poking out that kept it in place. Both wore the clothes one might expect to see in the wardrobe of the daughters of Fire Nation nobility. The taller had on a long sleeved tunic, with the ends of the sleeves designed so that they'd be loose and hang down, and the torso stopped below her chest to expose her midriff between it and the skirt that extended to just about her knees. The shorter wore a more conservative outfit that didn't expose anything below her neck except the fair skin of her palms, but it was still a stylish ensemble nonetheless with the cloth of the shoulders pointing out. It wasn't too unlike Mai's own standard dress, except it was much tighter around her body and more of a gown than a set of robes. Both of their outfits displayed the usual Fire Nation dress colors of gold, red and black.

In the background behind them, party guests were observing Fire Jugglers on a small makeshift stage use their bending to toss and create multiples hoops of flames to rotate at high speed around their bodies, a sight inspiring awes from the crowd of young patrons. Behind them was a live band playing the most active tribal rhythm they could produce, at which the shirtless male jugglers promptly matched the rhythm of their movements so that they were just as much dancing with the rings as they were controlling them. At both ends of the room were sets of long tables arranged with Fire Nation meat dishes and other delicacies. All around the hall were small tables covered in decorative cloths at which other people Mai's age group were gathered, eating and conversing.

"What are you doing at the window?" The small girl asked again.

"Oh, nothing, Kohana. I was just thinking..." Mai propped herself to sit on the window sill with her back facing the view, moving her head up some so to see the half-moon coming around into view and the stars accompanying it.

"About what?" the younger brunette squeaked.

"Probably you-know-who, I'm guessing." The other girl spoke up without looking away from the cup of tea she was tilting around and around, sloshing the beverage it contained to and fro. Her voice and visage didn't seem to give off any hint of real interest in the answer either way. Mai couldn't help but smirk though at the all too familiar attitude.

"Maybe, maybe not. Just a little bored is all."

"Can't blame you, I suppose. Stay in any one place long enough and you'll get tired of the sights and sounds no matter how big or many there are,"

"Aww, Mai, you don't like our city anymore?" Kohana was a fragile thing who could easily become upset over any equally tiny and fragile matters.

"No, it's not that. I guess I just don't know what to do with myself these days. Really, a year ago..." she paused as a sea of memories came flooding back to her. A year ago, she was living in Caldera and was the sole consort of one of the most powerful leaders in the world. "A year ago it felt more, I don't know, like I was going somewhere in life."

"Big dreams of being Fire Lady, huh?" The taller girl still had not looked up from her cup, which instead of sloshing around, she had now decided to use her Fire Bending to boil, just for the fun of it. Again, Mai could only give a sly smile. She was a little complimented by her friend's straight forward and dry disposition, as it reminded her of her own self.

"Maybe, maybe not, Amaterasu, but it's all in the past now," Mai gave another one of her token sighs. "Now that I look back on it, maybe such a life wasn't for me anyway. All the meetings, bureaucracy, having to be paraded through the street waving with a big smile on my face for a bunch of people I don't and probably will never know...thanks, but no thanks." Amaterasu moved her eyes away from her cup and over to looking at the far side of the room, again avoiding any eye contact with Mai. She cracked a smile.

"Still," she said, still looking away. "Bet it would have been nice to have at least been asked." She took a sip from her cup. Mai had to admit that while she didn't like all the territory that came with being Fire Lady, just to have been asked by Zuko would have felt...not bad.

"Perhaps. It's just before, whether I liked the idea or not, that was at least some place I was going that had some kind of, I don't know, point to it or something. Now, what am I doing? Spending your days blowing your dad's money on whatever just to keep you half amused isn't all it's cracked up to be, ya know?" Amaterasu finally looked at Mai from behind her cup. Kohana meanwhile had her head down in pity through Mai's whole little speech.

"Well, there may be something worth your interest!" she perked right up, another common trait of Kohana's."Ama and I were actually considering doing it together. If you want you could join us...just to check it out." Kohana almost looked ashamed at saying that last part, she was a little scared of how Mai would react. This wasn't very unique of an incident with her, the young girl was typically afraid to ask anyone for or about anything for fear of rejection or reprimand.

"What's that?" Mai asked, suddenly experiencing a surge of interest in something. Kohana gave a respectful smile. Ama turned attention down to her. She put her free hand up to her chin, stroking the lower region of her cheek with her index finger.

"I don't know, Kohana, she may not be woman enough to handle it." Amaterasu grinned mischievously at the bored black-haired girl in front of her, who had since hopped off the window and was now genuinely curious as to what exactly Amaterasu thought she "couldn't handle." Ama was always teasing Mai with weird things, always asking if she was "woman" enough or "had the ovaries" or other strange things to handle certain difficulties. Mai always knew Ama didn't mean anything cruel or disrespectful to her, but Mai still didn't enjoy her teasing and Ama wouldn't stop annoying her with them until she had managed to get Mai to do or try whatever it was she had in mind or had planned. Many times, Mai actually enjoyed Ama's challenges, but she wasn't one to give her the satisfaction of knowing or seeing it most of the time.

"I don't know if I'd say that, Ama, Mai-Mai gives even your bending a run for its money."

"Only on my bad days...this of course** may** prove more difficult"

"Well, are you guys gonna eventually tell me what it is you think I'd find so fun and appealing or are you just gonna stand there and run your mouths?" Mai was getting a little irritated by the unnecessary suspense.

"Um, okay," Kohana answered sheepishly."No doubt you know the Kyoshi Warriors right?"

"You both know I do, yes."

"Um, right, so I don't know if you've heard, but the Kyoshi Warriors are planning on opening a dojo here in Amber City." This was complete news to Mai. She had known the Warriors and dealt with them personally before due to her friendship with Ty Lee and Suki, but since she ended her and Zuko's relationship and moved with her father further away from the capital, she had fallen out of contact with both of them and thus many of the rest of the Warriors, though a couple would occasionally accompany the envoys that would stop by her family's home to deliver messages or goods for her father from the Caldera. She'd sometimes given them a letter to send to Ty Lee and, now and again, they'd bring a letter from Zuko, which even though Mai kept as a formality (you don't "throw away" a letter from the Fire Lord), she usually just threw under her bed, which was due to be cleaned from all the stuff she threw under there but was too lazy to throw away or was uncertain if it was important or not.

"Really, now? No, I'm afraid I didn't hear anything about that."

"I'm surprised you didn't hear, considering your dad was the one who approved it," Ama scoffed.

"I don't keep up with my dad's work that much, it's pretty droll for my tastes, and I've been out of the house with you two mostly so it's not exactly like I am eavesdropping on his meetings."

"Sure, makes sense, I suppose."

Kohana coughed a couple times to remind the two that she wasn't finished speaking.

"Anyway, like I was saying, they are opening a dojo here soon and are looking for new girls. So Ama and I thought it would be fun to..."

"To join the Kyoshi Warriors?"

"Hey now," Ama interjected. "I didn't say I was 'joining' anybody just yet, but I hear these Kyoshis are looking for more benders to join their ranks. Word is, they chose Amber City to be the first location they'd branch out to outside the capital cause we have the highest concentration of female Fire Benders in the country. These Fire Bending schools my parents send me to don't challenge me at all and most are just the same old tired curriculum. Maybe those foreigners Fire Lord Zuko is so tight with these days are just the new blood the martial arts here need." Amaterasu's eyes gleamed with a sense of adventure and excitement for a new challenge. "Challenge" was a motto of sorts for her. She was always looking for something that pushed her to the limit of her abilities and martial arts were probably the only thing Mai ever saw her new friend display any excitement or talkativeness over. Usually, she was a girl of few words, but when the subject had to do with bending or fighting, she was able to carry on a conversation for hours on advanced techniques or what big names she felt were the best benders or non-benders in the martial arts circuits and who she hoped one day to meet (and duel). She was a bit of a fighting nerd beneath her passive and smart-alek facade, one might say.

"From what I hear," Kohana added. "Kyoshi Island has never had a lot of benders and the Warriors were originally set up mainly just to protect the island, so when they isolated themselves in the war, the membership became almost exclusively non-benders."

"Yeah, I heard that too, but I also heard that when they came to the Fire Nation they brought a whole cache of Fire Bending scrolls that teach you how to use those fans of theirs. Apparently, though, they are only available to members."

"Seriously?" Mai curiously asked. Come to think of it, she had only known or seen Kyoshi Warriors that were non-benders, which was a little surprising to say the least considering that Avatar Kyoshi, who founded the Warriors and their unique style of combat through use of special fans, was, by all means, clearly, a bender and was legendary for utilizing her trademark fans as a part of her bending. It may have been that Kyoshi originally developed the style for bending and then later taught her people on Kyoshi Island how to utilize it as a more all purpose martial art, with or without bending. There may have been, however, in earlier times, other benders who became part of the Kyoshi Warriors before Sozin's war. Mai wasn't a bender at all, but she still found this somewhat intriguing.

"Yeah. Rumor has it some of them were written by Avatar Kyoshi herself. I don't care if my dad has paranoid delusions about immigrants, if it's true these chicks are keepin' some secret bending scrolls and books with stuff people haven't seen in centuries, he can shove all that noise up his ass for all I care."

"Daddy met with the Warriors at the Caldera last month," Kohana gleefully stated."He said they were real 'proper' and 'lady like,' but when he saw them practicing at the training grounds, they were extremely powerful too, especially the leader. What was her name again? Uh...Suko, was it?"

"_Suki,_" Mai corrected with an emphasis on the "-ki" sound.

"Oh, yeah, that's right! Anyway, I'm going to check it out because daddy thinks it'll be beneficial in the long run. Daddy always says there are two things a young lady needs to know: how to take care of herself and proper manners. He thinks if the Warriors will train me it'll be a good experience in learning more of both." While Amaterasu never appeared to get a long with her father, Kohana was very much a "daddy's little girl." She was very trusting of him, an esteemed aristocrat (with a plurality of wives one should add) who had stakes in many private industries within the Fire Nation, a man who staunchly encouraged "feminine etiquette," in his daughters, and Kohana generally did whatever the man asked or ordered of her. Mai and Ama didn't hold this against Kohana though, despite the fact that they were either at odds or emotionally distant with their own fathers, and at some odd periods disobedient, as the honorable Master Bento was a very generous and charitable man who did much for the impoverished of Amber City and always enjoyed Ama and Mai's company at his estate, particularly Mai whom he felt was a "welcome change of pace from Ama's more assertive and brash personality."

"Knowing Bento, he somehow thinks being in the Warriors will help you find a husband," Ama said with a shrug. Kohana blushed at her remark.

"Well, it's not like that's a bad thing," Kohana put her fingers to her lips, biting small pieces of the skin off one for just a moment in her usual neurotic fashion. "Besides, he married mother when she was only 13, there's no reason I can't find a man at a year older."

"At least your dad has enough confidence in you to think you're marriage material," Ama pouted, sticking out her inherently full lips in irritation at the thought of her father. "But hey, if you're lucky enough to become a Kyoshi Warrior, maybe you can join the Fire Lord's harem up in Caldera." Ama winked at her short associate, increasing the deep redness of her face which, in part, was due to Mai's presence at the time such a comment had been made. Mai was a little annoyed at the comment. She knew very well of the whispering and gossip Ama was referring to.

"Please, Ama, surely you don't believe everything those hens at the Academy cluck up at feeding time," she responded. Amaterasu took delight in her friend's upsetting over the rumors of her ex-boyfriend's sex life.

"Of course not, Mai, I just like to get your goat. Besides, you have to admit that it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the rumors were true. A king needs someone to give him his heirs and surely you know from experience what the stress of leadership does to a man." Mai's thoughts were instantly filled with images of Zuko the last time she saw him: aggressive, sleep deprived and so close..and yet so distant from her...

"Yeah...I know all too well."

Kohana could see by the look on Mai's face that Ama had untied something, by the way Mai stared at the ground. Kohana couldn't help but feel bad for her. Ama, however, didn't appear to notice or perhaps she did but didn't feel the need to take some moment of silence to mourn for Mai's love life.

"I mean," she moved on."If His Highness needs some...pleasurable company now and again, that shouldn't be held against him. I just hope that isn't all there is to these 'Warriors.' " Kohana saw an opportunity in Ama's words for a change in topic more to Mai's liking.

"I'm certain there is. Mai actually fought some of them during the War, didn't you Mai?" Mai looked up, woken up out of her trance of remembrance. She nodded.

"Yeah, that's right."

"So, Mai," Ama finished off her tea and crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised in curiosity."What's your opinion? Are they tough?"

"Hmph," Mai sneered and knelt down, grabbing the hem of her robe with both hands where it draped over her right leg. She began to pull it up slowly and carefully, steadily exposing her bare thigh, a pair of lacy black panties just noticeable. Kohana was flabbergasted at the rather bold, and actually kind of provocative, display in such a public place, Ama, however, didn't show any sign of surprise, even though it was not an ordinary move by Mai. She was more focused on the deep scar that came from around Mai's right buttock and stopped at just about her waist, concealed by her underwear. It looked like it had once been a deep gash nearly an inch thick. The whole thing had obviously long since been cauterized and had left a slight divot in what was otherwise a smooth and even hunk of flesh . The purplish color of the scar stood in contrast to Mai's bright and somewhat pale flesh tone. Mai had put her right leg out just a bit so her friends could get a better. Unintentionally, she had drawn the attention of some of the young male guests close by that were hanging around one of high pillars of the bright, chandelier strewn hall. They had been distracted from their regular conversation by Mai's almost model-like pose (again, this was completely unintentional on her part).

"You tell me, Ama?" Mai finished, a small victorious grin on her face. Amaterasu certainly was impressed by the "beauty mark," Mai displayed.

"Nice! Maybe these chicks **are** better than I expected, but it'll take a lot more than their taking down a chump like you down before I consider joining them."

"Cute," Mai retorted.

"Uh, Mai-Mai," Mai diverted her attention back to Kohana who was eagerly pointing diagonally behind her to the left, with a look of worry on her face, toward the boys who were now just staring at Mai rather strangely, uncertain of what to make of her display. Ama had also noticed and reveled in the sheer embarrassment that overtook Mai's face. She dropped her robe and stomped a few steps in the young men's direction, keeping her distance, however, and staying within the vicinity her own "pack."

"W-What are YOU idiots staring at!" she said as she stepped in their direction. "You waitin' to buy tickets or somethin'!" Her voice cracked some; she wasn't used to yelling. As the boys scattered in fear of her, she beat herself up a little inside for the fact that she let trying to impress Ama allow her to do something so out of the norm. "Boys, I swear," she puffed.

"Well, Kohana," Ama said. She and Kohana walked up next to Mai, each standing on one side of her. "Looks like our little Mai-Mai here already has more suitors than you do. Maybe you should take some pointers."

"Hey!" Kohana raised her voice at the suggestion. Ama could even goad her into acting outside her common zone of behavior.

"So what do you say, Mai, want to join us in trying out for the Warriors. Apparently, there's some rigorous set of trials you have to pass before they'll even consider you, but you said yourself you're looking for a career of some kind and I'll admit you aren't a _terrible _fighter."

"Wouldn't hurt just to see if you qualify!' Kohanna chimed in from the left.

Mai thought about it for a second. She had pretended to be a Kyoshi Warrior once on a mission with Azula and Ty Lee to infiltrate Ba Sing Se, the central city of the Earth Kingdom and while she wasn't sure if she could get used to that girly makeup of theirs, she respected the Warriors' skill they displayed when she had fought them. And maybe if she did happen to join, it would give her a chance to see Ty Lee and Suki again and actually work alongside them.

_But then I might end up having to see..._

But even if it could mean **that**, that wouldn't be her reason for joining, IF she did join. She was trained in combat since an early age, there was no sense why she shouldn't at least look into some career or occupation that put her to use doing what she was actually good at.

"You know, I think I will check it out...at the very least, it'll give me a cheap thrill."

"That's the spirit."

"Yay, imagine what it'd be like if we all passed!"Kohana clenched her hands in a prayer-like position of hopefulness.

Ama put placedhand on Mai's shoulder. "Hey Mai, look over there." Mai looked to her left and saw just behind the crowd watching the Fire Jugglers, near a table, a young man with short jet black hair and gold eyes, donned in red silk, standing alone looking over in their direction. He smiled innocently enough, not like the other boys earlier who had more vacant and dumb expressions, as he saw Mai looked over at him.

"Hngh, just another member of the peanut gallery..." Mai groaned.

"Bet you won't go talk to him at least though."

"Wow," Kohana giggled. "He's pretty."

"Why should I go talk to him?"

"True, I guess you are pretty busy these days to be hookin' up with anyone. You know, standing alone by windows, dreaming of ex-boyfriends, and all. Not much time for anything else worthwhile, huh?" Mai let out a low growl at Ama's words. There was a silence between the two of them as Mai looked back and forth between her and the boy across the way. Mai knew where she was going. She was trying to suggest that Mai wasn't over Zuko, that she was still just laying around pining for him. It was true that she hadn't really, actually, talked to a boy since then, but that didn't have anything to do with Zuko! At least, she didn't think it did.

"You know," Ama continued. "Maybe the Warriors** aren't **for you. Now that I recall, the local Fire Sages have some free rooms at the nunnery. Maybe that's more up your alley, wouldn't ya say?"

Finally, Mai slapped away her dark friend's hand that rested atop her and, not without giving her a scowl first, turned and walked over to where the handsome boy was standing (adjusting the two hair buns on her head quickly along the way). Kohana and Ama, who were left alone to watch from a distance, saw the two give a formal Fire Nation salute before Mai started striking up conversation.

"Hey, Amaterasu?" Kohana eventually asked.

"Yeah?"

"You certainly enjoy giving Mai a hard time, don't you?"

"Only cause I care, somebody has to give her that extra push she needs now and again."

"Oh, I see."

"That and it gives me a cheap thrill." Ama grinned to herself as she watched Mai cover up a laugh with her hand as the boy she was speaking with made what appeared to have been a joke or witty observation.

* * *

Zuko's bathwater stung his cuts and scrapes as he lounged in it, but he sat through the pain. The tub was a bit more like a hot spring than a simple bath, but that was typical of all the bathing rooms in the Caldera's homes. Around the king on two ends of the tub were golden statues of dragons coiling themselves upwards half way toward the ceiling, giving the impression of the dancing of the mighty beasts in real life, the tongues and eyes sculpted from red gemstone. Most of the high ceiling was a glass window giving a view of the great night above, the moon coming just around the far corner. The room was brightly lit by the several oil lamps that hung from each of the blood-red wood pillars in the room's four corners, just a little bit a ways from the walls so that one could walk around them to look at the parts of the extravagant mural they concealed. The marble floor as well was a lighter red than the pillars and non-glass parts of the ceiling and easily reflected the light of the lamps, brightening the room more easily. The tub itself was crafted from the same red gemstones as those embedded in the statues.

The walls were of a brighter yellow than the statues except for the large painting that stretched in length all around the room (going above the entrance instead of being cut off) depicting Avatar Roku, Zuko's honored ancestor, riding his loyal dragon, Fang, across what was painted in perception "below" a map of the modern Fire Nation, with the head of Fang meeting the tail in the center of the wall opposite the entry curtains into the room, which were behind Zuko as he lay back. Just visible between Fang's head and tail one could see painted the Royal Caldera City within the remains of the volcano it was built. Zuko had the painting commissioned while the room was being renovated. He felt such art added a certain charm to the palace that wasn't seen during his father's rule. Ever since Zuko came into power he had numerous painted tapestries and frescos that depicted Ozai, Azulon or Sozin removed from the palace, having them stored away or burnt, he tried to make the interior design of the whole place more welcoming and peaceful. Paintings of previous Avatars born into the Fire Nation replaced paintings of the slaughter of the Air Nomads, sculptures of fabled Fire Bending heroes from Fire Nation and Sun Warrior lore replaced statues of most of the previous Fire Lords, and many rooms once containing murals of Earth Kingdom conquests during the Hundred Year War were painted over with elaborate and decorative floral patterns and images of dragons. Zuko had left a few depictions of the older Fire Lords (those he was proud of) around in some areas out of respect, but other than that the palace had been purged of anything that reminded Zuko too much of his family. As far as he was concerned, the old dynasty had been corrupted and it was time to start anew. Whether he was Ozai's son or not was and should be irrelevant. In order to create a new dynasty, he couldn't be thought of by anyone or himself as being a continuation of the old.

Zuko's head bent up and rested on the edge of the tub. The scarring on the left side of his face didn't soak up water into the skin as much as his unharmed right side. Every time he took a bath, his face felt "uneven" when he emerged from under the water. Luckily, his vision in both eyes was still something fairly even that he could see the starry sky well enough, but his left eye still had its problems now and again. The stars decorated the night like diamonds strewn across space but as they twinkled, his mind became too preoccupied with matters other than their beauty. In fact, thinking about them seemed to fill his mind with too many thoughts right now. He closed his eyes instead, hoping the scented bath salts and hot water would allow his muscles to loosen and help his mind to be quieted and relaxed. But the only place his mind was drifting was back to the auburn haired girl he left alone back in the garden, specifically her words "Good night, Fire Lord," or rather the manner in which she said those words. Why did that bother him so much? Before his mind was caught up in anger towards the girl, then he was puffed up with pride, but those words, the way she said them...they spurred something in him. It was like a jolt of electricity hit him and had been followed by an irritating numbness. It was a feeling of...emptiness...an emptiness he had already been feeling, but now felt so much deeper, as though something left of him had been scooped out, leaving an empty bowl in his heart. While it was deeper now, it was an emptiness he had been feeling since...since...

* * *

"_What do you want, Mai? I'm kinda busy right now."_

"_A reason why I haven't seen you in almost two weeks would be nice."_

"_I had some…business to take care of at the Southern Coast."_

"_What's the matter, Zuko, you…don't look so good."_

"_Nothing…I'm fine."_

"_It sure doesn't feel like nothing."_

"_I said I'm fine! Don't you have anything better to do than hug up on my arm all the time?"_

"_Well, that's a fine 'how do you do,'"_

* * *

"_How come you didn't tell me there was another assassin?"_

"_It's not your concern to know everything that goes on in my life, Mai, certainly not every second after it happens."_

"_Your safety** is** my concern. I should at least know these kinds of things earlier than most people, don't you think?"_

"_Look, you're not exactly Fire Lady around here. You talk pretty big to your Fire Lord for being someone who's little more than his concubine."_

"…"

"_I'm…I'm sorry. That came…"_

"_I know, I know. 'That came out wrong…'"_

* * *

_"I know I keep screwing up, but please...I...I love you Mai."_

_"I know, but lately I've realized you love your secrets more. You'll have an easier time keeping them when you're alone."_

_"What are you telling me?"_

_"Goodbye, Fire Lord..."_

_"Mai! Come back! I...I...I ORDER YOU TO COME BACK!"_

* * *

_Author's Note:_

**Originally this chapter was to be attached at the beginning of the next one I'm finishing up, but I chose to separate that chapter into two chapters because when I read it, it felt like things went by too fast with Zuko and to slow things down would make the chapter too long. So, I took the first half of the chapter and made it its own, but then it felt like that new chapter was way too short for what I wanted to do. It was just yesterday I decided that what might help was to write a whole 'nother first half to the chapter concerning a different character, but I couldn't think of any character to do it on that wouldn't ruin some of the suspense for the rest of the story (Ty Lee or Suki). Then it hit me that I could show what's been happening with Mai. Like I said, this is a two part story, and in the second part Mai does play a direct role, so I thought it would be a nice treat for Mai and Maiko fans to see the beginning of that role she is soon to play. So the part with Mai and her new friends is a bit of a last minute addition to this chapter. **

**In the third season of A:TLA, I always felt disappointed that Mai's character development became almost solely as Zuko's love interest. When I saw Mai in the second season, I really liked her as a stand alone character and was eagerly awaiting more development of her, but in the third book, most of her character was developed squarely as a girlfriend character for Zuko, unlike other characters such as Ty Lee. She was only important to the story as Zuko's (only real) love interest and I always felt that she could be much more to the story than that. So the first part of the chapter kind of is my way of making her a character independent of Zuko once again rather than a character whose importance to the story is defined solely by the presence of Zuko alongside her. I also felt the inclusion of Mai here helped to highlight Zuko's current behavior, since she's moving on and he's still stuck in a pit of self-pity and loneliness.**

**I think in the end, the inclusion of Mai directly in this story was a good idea. :)**

**BTW, I gave Amaterasu that name because she's a Fire Bender and Amaterasu means "shine above the heavens" loosely in Japanese, which matches her craving for greater challenges, and in traditional Japanese folklore it is also the name of the sun goddess, again it's pretty fitting. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

* * *

_"Where's mom?"_

_"No one knows. And by the way, Grandpa died last night."_

_"I don't believe you. You're sick! And give me my knife back!" _

_"Who's going to make me? Mom?" _

* * *

Zuko's eyes flicked open.

He wasn't entirely sure how long he'd been in the bath water since the tub was built with a special burner underneath to ensure it would always stay heated. It had almost felt just now like Zuko had teetered on the edge of being awake and asleep. He was so immersed in his thoughts and warmth of the water that he may as well have traveled back in time. Sitting up, he rubbed his temples with one pruney hand. The memories he had just relived were not something he didn't think about all the time. But this time around, they felt more potent, more...painful.

_Mai..._

The flashbacks helped him recall how many times Mai lended her assistance in some way or another during times of crisis for him. From the time she almost lost her life for him when she refused to aid Azula in doing him harm to the time when she had brought the Kyoshi Warriors to the palace to help protect him, in between and within each of these memories he saw himself behaving so angrily and ungratefully toward her. Only in hindsight, now, did it seem more evident. Every time he had a problem or difficulty, Mai always did at least offer her affection, even if she did not have a direct solution. Zuko thought that perhaps he only pushed Mai away from him because she was "useless," but maybe that was less the case than he thought. Sure, she may not have had many practical solutions to the problems facing his reign, but obviously the pain he had been enduring since her departure he wouldn't be feeling if there was no place for her to fit in his life or if she had no function whatsoever. The truth of the matter was, since his mother's absence, Zuko had always struggled with affection, both giving it and receiving it. The kind of touching and tenderness Mai had shown him had, over time, made him feel...weak. While he had enjoyed her love (or at least her lack of dislike, as she would sometimes put it) for him, in the back of his mind a voice was constantly saying to him the whole time, louder and louder as time progressed and being Fire Lord became more difficult, that the fact that he "needed" such attention was what made him a failure. If he was truly strong and could persevere through his trials and tribulations, he wouldn't feel a need or desire for the pleasure of some woman! Such desire for relaxation only proved that things were too hard for him, and if things were too hard for him, then he must therefore have some significant weakness in the face of them. It made him feel hypocritical to put on this show of power and authority and then to have to go running to Mai for comfort. Yet at the same time, he desired to be loved, to be desired himself because that made him feel...stronger.

Looking back, Zuko could see how he had expected Mai to wait around for him and answer to him, but how any attempt on her part to tell him what he should do or any attempt of her's to relax him he had chastised. The idea that she had a good suggestion when he had none had angered him, as did the idea that he was so weak that he needed something as menial as her kisses. These things only served to remind him of his father's mockery of his weakness. However, it was one thing for him as a Fire Lord to desire and require Mai for himself, it was another thing for her to need him and want him. At least that felt normal, but to reciprocate that desire became more and more out of the question. Immediately, he felt an immense shame for the thinking of his subconscious. He had wanted Mai to sit around wanting him and craving him, but felt too exalted to return such feelings or satisfy her wishes, so much so that he denied not simply her, but also himself. Zuko found it funny in a dark way how he had called Mai his "concubine," when actually Fire Nation concubines were, for the most part, physically and emotionally satisfied, two things Mai was obviously not while she was with him.

Mai wasn't the first he had denied to himself or whom he had denied himself of (he was surprised he got as far with her as he did). There was that young girl in Ba Sing Se. He also ran away from her affection and before her, the girl with the scars on her leg, scars much like the one that branded his own face, left by flames of hate, who had only wanted him to continue thinking there was still hope left in the world. When he had stolen her family's ostrich-horse, he had told himself at the time that he and his uncle simply needed it and had not much choice, putting his conscience at relative ease, but deeper inside he knew the real reason. The girl. He wanted to spite her and hurt her, to "put her in her place," beneath him. The fact that she still had so much hope in the face of so much adversity, it was a strength that Zuko felt like he was losing and he resented the fact that she, a woman of such lowly birth, could have such a strength and not he. The idea that he, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, was in need of her, some Earth girl peasant's, condolences and comfort was an insult to him and was just another painful indication of how far his life had sunk at the time and how pathetic he had become.

Then there was Suki, she...she was all of them mixed into one. She had Mai's penchant for wanting Zuko to reveal to her, like she had some right to know, all of his personal issues and what was "eating him." Like Song, she had an irritating and foolish optimism that made him want to vomit and she was ever so passionate about pumping some of this "hope" and "faith" of hers into him. Like Jin, she was always finding the most fun in simple things, even when there were thousands of other things bigger and more grandiose out there to do and she also was pointlessly romantic like her, always finding some extreme beauty in the most nugatory of things like a bed of flowers or a man-made pond of recycled water, and even after she had seen these things hundreds of times already, she had this stupid habit of being able to almost always look at them the same way as she did when she first saw them. Zuko caught another look at the sky through the glass above, the moon had now moved a little closer to the center of the window's view. Obviously, he had been out a little longer than he thought, perhaps a good 45 minutes at the most.

_These girls.__ They're all so annoying, always trying to be like..._

The next word his train of thought was coming to was a place to which he had not been altogether prepared for arrival.

_...like mother..._

He looked down to his knees poking out of the water, crestfallen and humiliated with himself.

_And they'll all just want to leave me eventually just like she did._

These women, they all were trying to take her place, to occupy the space Ursa once had in his life and even to occupy more than Ursa ever could. They wanted to steal her role and when they had nestled themselves deep within it, they'd leave and, while his guard was down and his weak spot exposed, they'd rip out another piece of his heart the very same way she had. And then they'd give it some cheap veil to mask and hide their cruelty for what it was!

Zuko just sat there, staring ahead but looking at nothing before him. Was that why they made him so angry? He had always been upset **about** his mother's departure, but maybe the truth was that he was upset **at** her. Why hadn't she taken him with her if she loved him so deeply as she said she did? Instead, she had left him in the hands of a pack of rabid dogs. She had left him alone to face the torments this world had to offer and when he had needed her comfort and love the most to escape them, she wasn't there. While there was no doubt in his mind he loved her back as much as she loved him, there was a part of him, a very powerful part of him, that felt abandoned by her and hated her for it (a hatred he felt dirty for having). If he only could have gone with her, how much better his life would have been. There'd be no kingdom he'd struggle to rule, no points to prove to anyone, no assassins, no uncertainty of who loved him or hated him. There'd be no honor he lost or had to so desperately and painstakingly restore and certainly there would no scars on his face. It would have just been him and mother together...forever... with not a care in the world except each other.

A lone tear drop fell into the bath water, waking him up from his fantasy.

Taking one more good look at the half-moon, he unanticipatedly felt a new fervor and drive grow in him. He hopped out of the bath water, wasting no time flushing it or drying himself off with one of the many available towels hanging from spikes poking out of the room's columns. He quickly slipped into his night garments (a single pair of button up pants and a loose leisure shirt, parted in the middle, but tied together just above the waist by a strap) and walked out of the bath room at a brisk, but not rushed, pace. While he made his way across his royal sleeping quarters, drops of water fell from his flattened out hair, leaving a trail on the floor and rugs. When he opened a door leading out, he saw that two regular Fire Nation guardsmen stood outside, one on each side of the entrance.

"Guards! Have the Kyoshi Warriors begun their rounds yet?" The guards, startled by his sudden appearance, gave a bow of proper respect with their heads, their spears still at the ready.

"Yes, your majesty," said one. "Two of them just passed by a moment ago"

"Which direction?" The man pointed behind him.

"Thank you, I'll be back soon. Go ahead and take a break." Zuko gave him a pat on the shoulder and marched along.

He headed down the curtained halls, making a few turns and going down at least two sets of stairs, asking some of the other guards along the way where they had seen the last patrol of the warrior women. He eventually made his way down a spiral flight of steps into one of the ballrooms where he saw Ty Lee and two other warriors checking in with each other and taking a small break before returning to their business. He was a bit surprised to see Ty Lee already up and about, as it had hardly been more than two hours since he talked with, or rather yelled at, Suki in the garden. He wondered why she would be on duty as usually Suki led the shift's this early. Zuko had actually ordered Suki a month back to share the leadership of the night time guard duty of the palace with Ty Lee since she had started to lose sleep (without informing Zuko since he didn't think it was a big deal, of course).

Making his way down the steps, his bare feet on the rug made little noise to alert them. The ballroom was one of two connected to each other, both extremely large but with the one Zuko making his down into being the bigger. The other hall was a more square shaped room, rather than round like this one, connected to the kitchen and containing several exits to the balcony and was made primarily for the purpose of dining. The hall Zuko was in had only two exits on the ground floor, with most of the other exits on the spiral staircase that extended all the way to the near top of the high ceiling which was much higher than the dining the ceiling in the area, these exits only leading into higher sections and quarters of the palace. The pillars that held the room in place were not lined up in the middle of the room but were actually embedded into the wall, with half of them jutting out still, to provide the necessary support and still make it so the hall was a completely open space for dancing or other social activity that involved a large amount of guests. The shared black and red paint and construction mold underneath helped the two elements of the wall and pillars blend together nicely as one. As a result the wall had "hills" in between it's more flattened sections where it became rounder and poked out. Along the outside edge of the staircase, acting as support beams, from the near bottom to the very top, were assorted dragon busts, not unlike those in Zuko's private quarters, whose mouths each held a lit a flame that acted as lighting. There was a gas valve somewhere in the palace grounds which allowed one to increase the strength the flames for better lighting or for show. The top of the ceiling had some glass windows around it, partly for a view, and partly for servants to open up to let air circulate. Zuko had these added recently to make the room look less grim during the day (it also saved having to use gas to light it when the sun was up. The floor of this ballroom was Zuko's own private touch that he had built as well: a large and excellent mosaic, that took up the whole ground, of the two red and blue dragons he and Avatar Aang had met once, dancing around a sun in the background with the floor of the edges of the room containing red and pink flowers painted sprouting up from the sun's light surrounding the whole rest of the display, with numerous petals from them trailing the dragons' path as they danced round and round. Zuko whipped his head to stare at the wall next to him while he made his last stretch to the bottom most set of steps. Looking at the floral edges made him a little nervous.

_The flowers were Suki's idea, I don't even understand why I agreed to them..._

Luckily for him, he wasn't very high up to begin with. Otherwise, by the time he would have gotten to the ground, Ty Lee and the others would have probably moved along back to their work already. Even so, however, Zuko was close enough to the bottom that his voice could be heard more clearly.

"Ty Lee!" The braided haired former circus girl jumped around at the sound of Zuko's voice echoing through the hall, her heart pounded from his extremely abrupt intrusion on her conversation with her fellow Warriors.

"Eek! Zuko!" she squealed. "I'm sorry. I thought you were asleep in bed."

Zuko stepped off the stairs and further approached her and the other two girls. One was a tittle below Ty Lee's size with deep, congenitally, crimson colored hair, an odd and remarkable sight, cut a little short, where none of it fell past her neck or ears, the front of her hair one side was draped over her headband and was covering just half of one of her unique and mystical looking red eyes (another extremely rare trait given to her at birth). The other girl was just a bit taller than Zuko, which made her tower quite a bit over the other girls. She had longer black hair tied in the back in a styled bun that almost had the shape of a butterfly, the strap of her headband neatly tucked and tied under it. Two long bangs with small hung over the far left and right edges of her head-plate; her eyes shone some of the brightest and most sparkling jade green Zuko had ever seen. All of them wore the same general outfit that was worn by all the Kyoshi Warriors, green satin robes with a dark armored breastplate and headbands with some form of gold head piece that served as a symbol of rank. All of their face paint was matching as well, done in the same fashion as the legendary Avatar Kyoshi: red between the eyes and the eyebrows, red lipstick, and black eyeliner all surrounded by pale eggshell colored white-face.

"Ty Lee, what are you doing here? Your shift isn't until at least another four hours from now. **Where's Suki**?" Zuko's voice sounded upset, intimidating Ty Lee and causing the other two girls to look distressingly at each other. However, the odd red-haired one kept a straighter face than her partners.

"Um...Uh..." Ty Lee wasn't bothered by the question, but she wasn't sure if she should just answer or ask a question in turn about Zuko's soaked appearance. Zuko's body was still dripping a little as he walked hurriedly up to Ty Lee and as he stood before her, there were still some drops falling from his arms and bare feet, leaving a tiny puddle on the polished ground where he was. Ty Lee wasn't sure what to say.

The red-haired girl decided to speak up if not just to so things didn't drag out more than they had to by Ty Lee's stammering.

"Captain Suki said she wasn't feeling well, my Lord, so she asked Ty Lee if she wouldn't mind taking a few extra hours so she could get some rest." Her speaking carried a strong aura of one used to talking with a strong military prudishness and sense of respect, unlike Ty Lee's voice, which was much more ditsy and child-like and spoke to Zuko much more as a close friend than a commanding officer.

"Is that so?" Zuko frowned at this news, falling deep into consideration for a moment of what he had just been told.

"Zuko..." Ty Lee spoke back up."Is there a problem? You're all wet..." Ty Lee attempted to touch his hair, but he slapped her hand out of the way as his normal senses returned.

"I'll dry on my way to the dormitory. There's something important I have to discuss with Captain Suki. Thank you, Warrior Ruby."

"You're quite welcome, my Lord." The short haired girl placed a fist into a flat palm, fingers pointing up, and dipped her head. Zuko made his way through the middle of the group. All three of them looked on, a little bewildered at his hasty and anxious behavior and his unconventional appearance.

"Wait, Lord Zuko, darling," Zuko just continued to walk away despite the call of the tall, green eyed girl. "Shouldn't at least one of us accompany you?" Her voice had a natural sultry and exotic feeling to it that, like her size, made her come across older than she really was (in reality, she was actually a year younger than Ty Lee). Zuko knew this girl personally, like he did many of the Warriors who worked within the palace walls and in and around Caldera City, quite well actually. Humorously enough, this was exactly why he continued to walk away. She had a queer habit of making Zuko uncomfortable with her constant use of strange pet names and her overt physical displays of affection for him.

"That's fine; there are plenty of Warriors and guardsmen on patrol right now. I don't think I need to worry about anyone sneaking up on me this hour. If somebody should happen to find me alone, they'll be stir fried anyway." He tossed his hand up in dismissal without looking back at all.

The tall girl bit her lower lip as she watched the young man disappear from sight out of the ballroom, almost scraping away some of her makeup with her front teeth. She rested her cheek in palm as a flush came over her, noticeable, just a bit, even through the paint mask. Breathing a heavy passion-filled sigh, she glanced over at her companions.

"Feast your eyes, ladies," she said. "There goes a real man." Ty Lee was, as her eyes told so explicitly, completely befuddled at this statement. Although one had to ask why, since the "giantess," as Ty Lee liked to call her, always spoke in such a way about Zuko for as long as they had been stationed in the capital.

"Dear me," she continued in her extremely sensual and characteristic tone. "I do believe my face may be starting to run. I should probably go outside and cool myself off." She broke out one of her metal fans and started flapping it up and down, creating a light breeze for herself.

"Shigeko!" Ty Lee exclaimed, annoyed and flustered by her friend's suggestive choice of words.

"Hmm, now that you mention it," said Ruby, a finger on her chin."I do find I our Lord's..._commitment_ to the ethos and philosophy of masculinity." She turned her head away from them, either to hide the expression on her face or because she was making a show of some disinterest in the conversation now that she said her piece. Ruby was much too highly intellectual of a speaker to use such language as her affiliates. She always had to use big dictionary words. It was a convenient way of expressing her opinion without revealing too much of her opinion (since not everyone had a large vocabulary to understand the words she spoke or what she said didn't have the most straight forward meaning).

"Ruby, please, don't encourage her!" Ty Lee lamented. Though the thought of Zuko's wet torso seen through the part in his shirt did come up in her heard as she smacked her forehead in frustration at her colleagues.

_Well, that exercise has been doing his body some good lately...__**a lot **__of good, I mean...wait! No, no, NO! I'm still Mai's friend, I shouldn't be thinking about stuff like that. Go away, whoever you are!_

She furiously shook her head back and forth trying to shun out any thoughts that seemed a little too far. "No-no-no-no. NO!"

"Ty Lee," Shigeko said, still fanning herself. "Have you not been feeling well, either?"

* * *

"_Suki, you could have at least told someone so to give us some forewarning. We waited up for you for, like, a half an hour, that's not time we can get back."_

"_It was just one practice Ty Lee, there will be plenty more and you can be certain that I will lead those."_

"_But leading the group practice is an important tradition. We both know that. There's a reason why I'm worried that you missed it: because not just anyone is allowed to lead it. I've never seen you miss practice before in all the time I've been in the Warriors; I don't see why you should have to blemish your perfect record now."_

"_I told you, I had to supervise the security for Zuko during his meeting with Master Jeong Jeong. Forgive me, but I think guarding one of the most powerful leaders in the world as he meets with one of the most influential members of the White Lotus is more important than a tradition I can make up for some other time if I miss or mess up."_

"_I care about Zuko too. I've known him since I was little and I was born here in the Fire Nation. I'm not trying to act like protecting and helping the Fire Lord isn't important to me or to the Warriors. It's what we swore to do when we first came here. But even as a Fire Nation born, I know that our sole duty as Kyoshi Warriors is not to the Fire Lord."_

"_Don't you think I know that too? When did I say otherwise?"_

"_I'm just concerned that you might start to slack in all your other duties. You don't seem to talk to many of us anymore…and I never seem to see you anywhere these days except around him. And when you get back to the dorms, you just shut yourself up in your room most of the time and don't come out until it's time for work again. You never go out and have fun or do anything with the rest of us. We're **all** really worried, that's all. It's not just me. "_

"_Your concern is noted; now please…just leave me alone already."_

* * *

_Author's Note:_

**As you have probably noticed by now, I have included quite a few OC's in this story. When I originally conceived this story, I had never any intention of bringing in much of the old Gaang into play.**

**However, without the others, the story felt a little empty. It didn't feel like it stood out enough from any other kind of slash fic one shot and romance story here on FFN and that wasn't really what I was going for. There aren't that many Zuki/Suko fanfics here on FFN, and I wanted to do something that really made up for that and also showed a lot of the really big potential this pairing has. I couldn't do that if my story felt extremely compressed and compact. I figured the best way to do this was to create a good number of OC's that added the diverse amount of character dynamics I needed without having to use the old Gaang. Not only did this add a lot more depth to the story, in my opinion at least, but it also did a lot toward the goal of making it clear that the characters from the show that are featured in here alongside those OC's do have their own stories to tell that aren't necessarily limited by the presence of or absence of the other characters from the show. These characters have their own lives outside of that immediate circle just as they do within it and these lives outside the circle that these characters live can be just as interesting, if not more interesting, than almost anything they could do within that circle. With Mai, I have her getting involved in an adventure with all new characters that have nothing personal at all to do with Zuko. With Ty Lee, I have her making new friends other than Azula or Mai. Suki I've had tossed in a whole new world pretty much with both new and old characters.**

**I think without the inclusion of my OC's, this story would have actually been more forgetful.**

**I highly doubt that when the last issue of The Promise and the new comic trilogy "The Search" are released that my two-part story here will fit neatly into the canon, but I would like to use a lot of the elements in this story later on in other Avatar fan fics, particularly my OC's. These characters will be more fleshed out as the story progresses, but I hope my readers will find characters like Kohana, Ruby, Shigeko, and Amaterasu as likeable and memorable as many of the characters featured on the show. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note:_

**So, here it is, the final chapter in the first part of the story. I'd like to thank all my avid readers who took the time to read this rather long story. While I have done plenty of one-shot fanfics before in my time, it has been awhile since I ever tried to tackle the feat of writing a longer ongoing series and I must say I have never done one such as this that I have been so proud of. Most of such fics I've written I look back on in embarassment, but this one really felt like for once a pet project came out better than I initially expected.**_  
_

**Also, I thought I'd clarify, just in case there was a misunderstanding, that no, Zuko does not hate his mother for leaving him. He's just angry at what happened with his mother that he tries to prevent it from happening again by shutting certain women who open up to him out of his life before they get too close to hurt him. The subconscious anger he has toward his mother is just "another side" to his feelings of love for Ursa, which overpower those feelings of anger and hate he has buried inside.**

**As I stated before, this story IS a two-parter, so the ending here has a lot of things of that will lead up to and play a big a role in the story's sequel. There's also a short epilogue after this chapter and also a final note of mine where I drop some more backstory and information on the original characters I created for both this story and the sequel I'm writing (as well as other Avatar projects). So, I hope you enjoy that as well. Thanks and happy reading! :)**

**Feel free to tell me of any glaring error in grammar or spelling. I take a lot of time with these and want them to read nicely.**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

The Kyoshi Warrior dormitory was a fairly long two-story building that wrapped around an ancient hot spring just outside the palace walls, close to some of the local villas. Suki's dorm was up the stairs on one of the far corners. The whole place had been decorated in paper lanterns, lit inside with the tiniest of candles, bearing both Fire Nation and Kyoshi Island symbols in various shades of green and red and many of the trees within the compound were decked with golden wind chimes. It originally functioned as an extra spa as well a temporary housing for special envoys of guests of the Fire Lord, but Zuko had since chosen to use a new building for this purpose and gave the old building to the Kyoshi Warriors so they had a place private to them for both their personal and "feminine" needs. It contained plenty of lodging and recreational facilities for their training and leisure and was situated just near the same training area that Suki and Zuko had practiced earlier. Surrounding the main building on all sides was a lush and spacious garden filled with a number of cherry blossom trees, fountains and decorative statues of historic Fire Nation personalities (minus the last three Fire Lords of course). A white low-perimeter wall, with a single arch that acted as the official entrance/exit, stretched around the complex and the garden area. Atop this arch stood a carved and masterfully painted wooden icon of Avatar Kyoshi, the titular figure of the Kyoshi Warriors, their founding mother, and one of the most well known and venerated incarnations of the Avatar to have been born in the Earth Kingdom, with her combat fans drawn. Within the archway, was a bronze gate that was either always locked or guarded by at least two Warriors at all times it was left open.

The complex of the dormitory itself was made mostly of polished wood. The balconies had been left the original brownish yellow by the wood being left unpainted. The tiles of the roof however were painted dark red. The corners of it, which were sharp points curved up in the typical Fire Nation fashion, were part of the greater brim that took up the whole edge and also continued to the top, separating the roof tiles into separate sections. The walls between the wood outlining of each dorm's window and door (both of which slid open and shut instead of pulled or pushed by knobs or handles) had their color changed from the original white that was normal of all other buildings in the Royal Caldera City to the same green as the larger part of the Kyoshi Warriors' outfits. The thick paper held in place by the wood borders of each door or window, however, had their white color left alone, perhaps to match the white-face worn by the Warriors or perhaps for no real reason at all. It's color scheme matched almost perfectly that of the garden's with it healthy green grass and reddish pink tree tops. Indeed, the building was an anomaly among the typical uniform of Caldera's architecture, as were its inhabitants who could be seen moving in and out during the day.

Zuko recalled how local residents stared at the Warriors when they had arrived and begun to renovate the building, uncertain of how to feel about the presence of foreigners in such a permanent stay in the capital, something almost unheard of during Ozai or Azulon's rule, but it served as a good symbol of progress and the mutual alliance between the Fire Lord and the Kyoshi Warriors served as a means of balancing out Zuko's internal security. Though Zuko had won sufficient support for his rule as time passed, there were still plenty who had yet to be convinced of his legitimacy or still fervently denied it and through use of the Kyoshi Warriors, who had no ties of loyalty to his predecessors or any of their advisers and associates and who were financially and politically dependent on Zuko to maintain their current status, he could always make sure he had a private security force to enforce his law and defend his throne in the event of an insurrection. Zuko had also promised the girls that Kyoshi Island would be under his protection, while not an official territory of the Fire Nation, maintaining semi-autonomy. It was a win-win situation for the two parties.

Zuko drew closer to the entrance. His shadowy figure caught the attention of the two painted girls posted outside. One of them, a hazel eyed brunette with a long ponytail, the top of her head rather shaggy, seemed especially irritated at his approach and marched forward to meet him.

"This is the last time I'm going tell you guys!" she snarled, a hand on her hips and a finger pointing at him. Her lower lip was stuck out. "No boys allowed in the dormitory! If you have a problem with this VERY simple rule, you can take it up with...Fire Lord Zuko!" She immediately recognized him as the two of them arrived closer to one another.

"You were saying, Warrior Fei?" Zuko asked, poking some fun with a serious face at the case of mistaken identity on her part. She and the other Kyoshi Warrior at the gate each knelt down on one knee, heads lowered.

"No, forgive me, my Liege, we've been having some...problems with the local boys from the Fire Academy lately. I mistook you at a distance for one of them." Zuko made the motion with his hand for them to rise.

"How may we be of service to you this evening," Fei asked.

"I came to speak with Captain Suki, is she in her quarters?"

"Yes, but Captain Suki isn't..."

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of her condition, which is why I am here. I'm quite certain an exception can be made for my presence on the grounds?"

"Why, of course," she said. Zuko walked passed her, coming under the arch. The other Warrior bowed as he approached her position.

"Lord Zuko," he heard Fei behind him. "Do you require-"

"No, Fei, I do not require an escort, thank you. I'm quite safe within your walls."

_Seriously, is there ever time when they don't ask me that?_

_"_As you wish, Master Zuko." Fei had moved to return to her post when he felt the need to ask her one last thing.

"Warrior Fei..."

"Hm? Yes, my Lord?" Zuko looked back at her.

"How...how are you and the other Warriors enjoying your stay here in Caldera? Have I been a good host to you?"

"Your blessings are exceeded only by those of the sun itself, my most honorable Fire Lord Zuko." Both Fei and her friend gave the proper Fire Nation salute. "We have been very pleased here and are most grateful, thank you."

"And...Captain Suki. Is she also pleased to be here too, would you say?" Fei's expression changed from a smile to one more melancholic as she and her partner looked at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking.

"Um, to be honest, I can not answer that truthfully, sir," Fei answered to his inquiry.

"Why not?" Zuko was visibly disappointed at her words. His voice was a little demanding

"Well...Captain Suki doesn't really talk to much of us anymore. She usually just keeps to herself these days and stays in her room when she's off duty. Most of the leisurely activities we arrange around here she gives her approval, but with the exception of the matters of the palace's security and the security of you and your guests, Captain Suki lately has shown little interest in much else. So the only honest answer I or any one of us can give to your question is 'we don't know,' "

"I see..."

"But, of course, I've known Suki for a long time and she's never been one to stay in any place for too long where she doesn't feel welcome. And you have made us all feel most welcome if I do say so myself, sir."

"Have I now?" he mumbled. Zuko was, suffice to say, very much in doubt of that at this point.

"Sir?"

"Oh, nothing. Thank you, Fei, you may return to your post. And if there's anything more the Warriors need, don't be afraid to ask."

"Well, now that you mention it, some help with the students from the Royal Fire Academy for Boys would be nice," the other girl with black hair spoke up. Fei scratched the back of her head and chuckled. Even if she felt it necessary, she always had trouble asking anyone for anything, but since her fellow Warrior had said it already, she couldn't help but show some sign of agreement.

"Yeah," Fei said. "I caught two punks trying to sneak in during bath time yesterday when they were supposed to be in their classes."

"I'll have a word with the dean tomorrow, you can rest assured." Zuko had gone to the Academy himself for some of his education after his mother was gone. Before that, she had taken the responsibility of educating him. Some of the older boys there he knew could be real troublesome which was why he didn't socialize with anyone while he was there.

"Thank you, my Lord." The both of the girls said in unison, bowing their heads.

"You're very welcome. Oh, and Fei," Zuko said.

"Yes, sire?"

"I recently heard that the Warriors chose you to head the new dojo in Amber City. Congratulations. I wish you have a safe trip next week."

"You are too kind, sir."

Zuko proceeded passed the gates along the white cobblestone path to the dorms, leaving Fei to return to her former position on the side of the archway.

* * *

As Zuko climbed the stairs on the outside to Suki's corner of the dormitory, he noticed that no lanterns in that corner were lit, not even just a little. Most of the other rooms were at least dimly lit on the outside or from the inside. He could even hear a few girls in some of the other rooms laughing or eating and could also hear some splashing and chatter from the hot spring area in the open center of the dorm building, hidden from public view and accessible only by going through the inside, but Suki's corner just felt...dead. Shadows encompassed the whole balcony around it and not even one touch of light from or around any of the nearby dorms seemed to cast itself on Suki's door or window. Making his way up each of the smooth wooden steps, Zuko felt a pit at the bottom of his stomach. Coming up to the top of the stairs he only had to turn to his right and walk straight forward to reach Suki's room, since it was the closest door to the stairs on that side of the building. He knocked ever so lightly on the edge. He hesitated at first, half expecting just to be told to get lost or to not even get a response at all.

It came as a small relief to him that after a few moments the door slid slowly to show Suki peeking out. She was stunned to see him nonetheless and displayed a visible sorrow as she slid the door open the rest of the way. The room behind her was almost pitch black. On the ground lay her futon with the blankets tossed aside from when she, obviously, threw them from over her body to answer him. Around her was a dark-green and gold robe tied at the waist, made of softer fabric than her Warrior robes, and which was much shorter, stopping just a little ways above the knees. In one corner of the room, he could faintly see her gloves, fans and the rest of her outfit from earlier tossed in a messy and unorganized bundle. She must have just come to her room immediately after he vented at her and gone to bed. Her face was clean of makeup, although there were a couple traces here and there, showing that she had removed it hastily without too much care. The whites of her blue eyes were puffy and a little bloodshot. When she opened the rest of the door, she quickly tried to rub them clear, but it was a rather pointless effort.

"Uh, good evening... Captain Suki..." his voice carried a hint of sadness at her state.

"Your Eminence," she bowed her entire torso, being very careful not to upset him by acting unprofessional. Coming back up, she asked as politely and delicately why he had come. "What is it? Is there something you require of me?" She became more downcast and avoided eye contact with him when she thought of another possibility for his visit. "Or is there...something you don't require of me?"

_Oh boy, Zuko, you've really done it now..._

"I...the...the other Warriors said you weren't feeling well. I…uh…came to see if you were okay. Are you?"

_See if I was okay?_

"Huh? Oh, I just was…having some chest problems." She patted her rib cage with her fist.

"Chest problems? Sounds serious." He inched closer. "Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, it's probably just heart burn from eating too many fire flakes." For a brief second she gave him a faux smile.

_Should I smile it off? Maybe not. He might see that as too personal..._

"You sure?"

"Yes, is that all you need, sir?" The unusual use of "sir" on her part made him uneasy and was only increasing his inner guilt. Sure, the other girls using it didn't bother him, really, but Suki never called him "sir."

"When did your...pains start?" Suki responded to him with a nervous groan, blushing red, once again diverting her eyes. Zuko knew exactly when they started; she didn't need to tell him. The speaking between them ceased as Zuko struggled to find the right words to say. It was funny how simple words could be so difficult to conjure up.

"Suki, I...actually was looking to…um… I wanted apologize to you."

"What?" she asked. She looked directly back at him, blinking a few times faster than normal, making double sure she was awake.

"For what I said earlier. Walking through the garden just seemed to remind me of Mai and...other things I care not to remember and I...I took my frustrations out on you. That wasn't right of me and I sincerely apologize. "

_My meddling obviously hasn't helped his mood either._

"I understand. I'm sorry I tried to give you advice, though. You were right about that. It wasn't my place to do so and I'm sorry also for pestering you with my intrusions so much all the damn time. I just...ever since you and Mai broke up because of me; I've wanted to make it up to you and I thought..." She ceased her words, uncertain about continuing for fear of being misunderstood or of saying the first thing she had thought to say.

_"I thought I could take her place?" Is that what I was about to say…?_

"I th-thought about what else you said and you are right about that too. I'm not your mother or your wife, so I should know my place and not assume I have a more personal stake in your affairs than you have warranted directly."

Despite Zuko's apology, he still saw much regret within her.

"Suki, you've done more than enough since you first came here to make up for that and what happened between me and Mai wasn't your fault at all to begin with so you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself to amend for it. It…was my own fault that whole thing happened. I should have been more open with Mai from the start about what was going on. You only did what you thought best to help me and..." Zuko took another step closer and put his hands on her shoulders. Her blush increased as she felt his warm hands even through her robe. She stared deep into his eyes, which no longer showed the anger and hard heartedness she saw before, but were now tender and puppy dog like. "…and I do appreciate your help more than you know."

_"_Really?"

"Yeah. I don't know where I would be right now if it weren't for you. You've done so much for me and my people. You have such a strength and courage that I admire and even…" Zuko let go, looking disappointed in himself. "... even am a little jealous of." He turned around and walked towards the banister, the stairs back down a little way to his left. Resting his forearms on it, he looked out at the palace peaking over the high walls protecting it, which were just within walking distance.

_Jealous? Of me?_

Suki made a few steps out of her room to follow him, but stopped half way. She still wasn't certain if that would upset him or not. Just because he apologized didn't mean he was giving her the go ahead to trail him around. Zuko looked over his shoulder at her, letting out a sigh, he looked back out to the palace grounds.

"I've tried my best to lead my country, " said he. "To right the wrongs of the legacy my father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather left, to bring about a new era and a new dynasty from the ashes of what they burned, but I can't help but feel like I've failed. I still struggle to know when I'm making the right choices for my people, to garner the strength and respect needed to be loved by them, and to carry the responsibilities of leadership by myself. But my rule..." Straightening his back out he turned half way to face Suki again, one hand wrapped around the banister and the other moving as he spoke. "My rule is useless without you by my side! I...I forget plans I myself make while you memorize them perfectly. I struggle to earn the respect of my servants while you barely have to try. I have so many personal problems on my mind all the time that distract me from my work as Fire Lord while you have no such personal worries to take you away from the duties I give you. When I give you orders, I yield to your suggestions so easily it feels to me like** you** are the one who's ordering** me.** And even when you do follow my orders without question, my decisions only bear fruit when you go beyond what I've commanded of you, beyond what I could even think of to suggest of you. I yelled at you how I did because for once I wanted to feel like I wielded a strength over you, over somebody, and I wanted to feel that my authority was absolute and unquestionable. And… I suppose for a long time now, longer than I have probably consciously known, a part of me has especially disliked the feeling when those I can't control or those who somehow control me are the women in my life. But I should be man enough to admit my weakness as a leader instead of trying to hurt others I care about or who care about me so I can feel better about myself for one minute." He turned his back as Suki joined him on his left in looking out to the horizon, clenching her palms around the wooden threshold.

"We all have our weaknesses and our strengths," she stated, putting on a very weak smile. "I have my weaknesses and so do you. I mean, you compliment how I can juggle duties, but ask Ty Lee or any of the other Warriors and they'll tell you how much more I've been slacking off lately around the dorms, so I'm not so perfect as you might think I am. But just because you have your weaknesses **as **a leader doesn't mean **you are** a 'weak leader.' And neither does needing some help make you a weak leader. That's true for me, and for you. You're only human and you shouldn't try to carry so much of the burden by yourself, especially when you have us around to help you." She turned her head from the palace to him.

"When you have **me** around to help you...The reason I help you as much as I do though isn't because I don't think you're a strong and good leader or really because I'm simply trying to make up for your weaknesses, as though I fancy myself to be the one and only person who can make up for them or think they are so unforgivable that I fancy myself or anyone, for that matter, as a necessary substitute. I help you as much as I do because I **admire** the strength and the accomplishments you have, not because I begrudge you for any faults or failures. You struggle and push through adversity and when you fall down; you get back up and keep trying no matter how many times you fail and no matter what life throws at you. Even when it seemed the whole world was against you, when Aang and the others didn't trust you, you pushed through to prove yourself and you certainly proved yourself to me at the Rock. Even after I acted so coldly towards you at first, you didn't let that discourage you or distract you, you just saw it as another chance to prove yourself on top of everything else and kept on. And no matter how big the stress of being Fire Lord has been for you, you haven't given up or ran away. You keep trying 'til the very end. That's who you are, Zuko, someone who keeps trying and struggling even though things are so difficult, even though things may seem impossible. That's what it is that makes you strong...and it's difficult to describe how much, exactly, I admire that strength in you." For Zuko, it felt good to hear her say his name again and to hear someone say, for the first time in a long time, that he was strong.

"_That's who you are, Zuko, someone who keeps trying even though it's hard."_

Suki's hand went up to her chest, clenching her robe. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, wildly as she finally spoke the words she had been holding in for so long. Her breathing suddenly grew heavier. She tried to hide it, but Zuko could still notice. Zuko wasn't sure if she really was sick or not at this point by the look on her face. With her right hand she reached for Zuko's, still clunching together the small part in her robe with the other. Zuko passively allowed her to take it, although this action had mostly caught him surprise. Cupping the back of the hand, her thumb gently caressed his palm. Zuko was nervous at this display of affection but did not resist. He had now turned as red as her. She stood there for a few seconds, just looking at his palm with a strange smile, like one lost in a daydream. Zuko sort of wondered if she had been drinking too much fermented tea at this point.

"I..." Suki turned her hand over on top of his and proceeded to lock her fingers in between his so that both their palms were pressed flat against one another. Zuko took one footstep back, not breaking the hold she hand. "I want to be part of your strength...to be an **extension** of it, not an opposition to it. That's why I try to serve you every way I can to the best of my abilities, not for my own selfish glory but for that glory you embody to me." As she finished this last statement, she brought his locked hand up and rubbed it against her cheek, which felt pleasant, yet cold to Zuko's senses.

Zuko's body tensed up at her words and behavior. He didn't expect to hear such things from her mouth of all people, but in his heart of hearts he was grateful to hear them, more than grateful even. With his free hand he stroked her hair, which twinkled in the half-moon's light. She closed her eyes and absorbed every part and parcel of his touch. His hands trailed past her hair and down to her other palm, which was still over her chest. He took it into his and locked their fingers between each other, just as she had done. Carefully, he pulled herself closer into him, their chests mere inches from touching and their locked hands at their sides.

"Suki...I don't want to drive you away like I did Mai..." Her watery blue eyes entranced him. Things came out of his mouth so easily, without second thought. Of course, it was impulsive speaking that hurt Suki in the first place, but these words, while still feeling so forward, were certainly different. They were contemplative yet passionate, straightforward yet gentle. "I don't want to chase you away from here, away from my people who need you, or away...away from me...I want you to continue to stay here with us, with me. I...I need you here with me. The fact that I need you here is why I've been so angry with myself, cause it reminds me I can't do this on my own and most of my life has been me left on my own to face the world."

_W-what am I saying? Where is this coming from? These words, they feel like the thoughts of someone else, but my heart does mean them...my heart which happens to feel like it will explode any minute right now._

Suki began to tear up, but her strength of will, once again, held the tears from falling down.

"I don't want to leave here either. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay and be a part of that strength I see in you, to be a part of you." Their faces were so near to each other that each time one exhaled from their ecstatic breathing, the other breathed it in directly. The heat from Zuko, whose natural Fire Bender body heated his skin in this emotional state beyond what Suki's was capable of, radiated out. But while Suki was dizzied by the warmth, it was more refreshing to her than the heat of the hot spring. She'd rather bathe in his warmth any day. She surprised herself even with this suggestive thought.

Zuko looked down at their chests now almost pressed like their palms. Suffice to say, he could notice that hers had much more...shape to it; some of that shape stared back at him through the slit in the top of her robe.

"A… part of me, huh?" he let out.

When Zuko realized where his thoughts were treading, he switched his attention to the cherry blossom trees below, trying to flush such imaginings out of his mind. He thought Suki might be offended, but she only giggled at his behavior and watched the cherry blossoms with him. While Zuko had only looked in that direction randomly, he suddenly found the field of pink and red stunning and breathtaking and couldn't divert his eyes from them. In the dim moonlight, the trees were quite nearly sentient as the light summer breeze made the flowers still stuck to them dance. Detached Petals spun into the sky, not blocking the moon's light, but only making it shine through them. It was the first time in awhile Zuko found any real pleasure in looking at flowers.

"They're beautiful in this light, aren't they?" Suki asked. Zuko nodded.

"Yeah…You know, it's strange. On my way to the dormitory, I didn't really notice it. But now up here," he moved his head back and met her curious look. "Up here now, I can't help but notice how fantastic the flowers look. "

Suki looked away bashfully, but Zuko freed one of his hands to move it again so her eyes were back on him. His hand slid its way down to neck and rubbed the skin there. While Suki was fairly muscular from her years of combat training, her skin was still extremely smooth and soft.

"I admit that when I was younger… I loved to look at and smell the flowers in all the gardens," Zuko confessed. "I used to go out with my mother all the time and pick the ones in full bloom that I liked best and place them in vases near my bed. I remember I made the most beautiful bouquet once. It looked so… so pretty." Zuko was a little shy about his use of that last word. He stared back out at the cherry blossom field.

_Pretty...such a dorky word for me to use..._

"It was a pattern I had arranged with Mother's help of different shades of red and pink, but with a touch of violet too. I remember setting it on a dresser right where I knew the sunlight would always hit it. I did everything I could to make sure the flowers were as healthy in the vase as they were in the ground. Azula used to tease me about it all the time." Suki gave a dreamy smile as she listened attentively. His tale was so romantic to her: a young prince, destined to rule one of the most powerful nations of warriors in the world…in love with a bouquet of flowers he had made with his mother.

"Then," he continued. "There came a time when we left on an extended trip to Ember Island. I was so excited and completely busy packing what I wanted to bring along in the short amount of time I had to do so, that I had forgotten to refill the water in the glass vase that held the bouquet. When we came back, the flowers had died and dried up in the sun. I was so upset to come home from such a fun vacation to find the flowers I adored to have left me, that I cried. My father, of course, reprimanded me for being so sensitive. I couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 years old at the time. After that, I vowed I'd never pick any flowers again," Suki's heart was moved by how some of Zuko appeared to have still been in mourning.

"For awhile, I just continued to watch the flowers as they were in the soil, admiring their beauty from a safe distance, taking the greatest care not to touch them too much or too often so that they would always remain perfect and unblemished…until one day, my father got angry with how much time I had started spending in the gardens. He said if I ever expected to impress grandfather more than my cousin Lu Ten, I couldn't waste time staring and touching flowers all day, so he grounded me from the gardens until he gave permission otherwise. I got so angry at him that I yelled that I didn't care about being better than Lu Ten, and that since Grandfather already liked my uncle better than my father anyway, it didn't matter how good he thought **I** was. When my father heard me say that to him, he punched me in the eye and lit my favorite rose bush on fire… I never found much pleasure in looking at flowers, be they in vases or the ground, anymore after that." Suki took her freed hand and moved her fingers to petting the scarring just under his eye socket out of pity. "Funny," Zuko finished. "He must have really liked that eye."

Suki snuck her left hand around his waist and up his back and followed suit with the other. She closed the distance between their chests. Zuko could feel her her heart beat syncing up with his. He closed arms around her, each hand of his grasping the edge of the opposite shoulder of hers. He wasn't much taller than her, but he could still just rest his face in the hair on top of her head. The scent that filled his nostrils was the same as many of the leaves and flowers on the trees, but less subtle, much stronger. Like…

_Like my rose bush…_

"Hmph," Zuko 's voice was a little muffled but still very audible. "Don't you find that pathetic of me? The great and powerful Fire Lord, the sovereign lord of towering cities and leader of deadly warships broken hearted over the loss of his flowers… "

"No," she answered. "I think that kindness and love you have for things that are gentle and beautiful is the strongest part of you and I think it makes you stronger than Ozai ever dreamed he could be." Suki couldn't see it, but a tear fell down his scarred eye.

"Is that the strength you want to be a part of?" he asked.

"I want to be a part of **all** of your strengths, especially that one and I hope...I'm on the receiving end of it too."

Zuko looked into her eyes. Once more, Suki could feel the steam of his breadth pouring in through her mouth and nostrils. It was a purifying vapor like the breadth from a noble dragon. Each time she took in some of it, her body felt cleansed of all possible impurities.

"If…If I was one of the flowers, I wouldn't care if I'd risk dying more easily in the vase than I would in the ground," she said. "It'd be worth the risk just to know that I was approved by you to be put in _your _vase on _your_ table. It'd be worth it to know that I pleased you and was chosen _by you. _The rain waters all flowers in its path indiscriminately, regardless of which are good and which are bad, which are the least beautiful and which are the most, but you…you'll only take the time to water yourself that which touches your heart. To know that I earned that favor of yours would be worth some risk."

"Suki…" Zuko could only muster up her name. He didn't know what else to say. There was a part of him that still felt a little unworthy of all this praise.

"I'm not afraid of life in the vase, or being burnt by flames of hatred, I'm afraid of being left where you can see me and no matter how beautiful my petals are, they don't capture your heart. I'm afraid of being unworthy to you. I don't quite understand why." Suki looked back to the cherry blossom trees, disheartened. "Every challenge I've taken, every trial that's been thrown at me, I've passed with flying colors. I've always excelled at the things I do…and I've always been praised for that excellence. When people question my abilities and the extent of my talents, I so easily and quickly prove myself and silence their criticism, and afterward I receive nothing but their constant admiration. I seem to be able to burn brighter or at least hold a candle to almost everyone I meet and am acknowledged so easily for that. Even earning the Avatar's respect was fairly easy. But with you…" Suki looked back to him.

"With you it's different. Not only am I not as powerful as you, but earning your admiration for what strength I have is more difficult than earning anyone else's. And even when for so many of my efforts, I don't earn that admiration, at least not that I can see, no matter how much I may want to give up… I don't. I keep trying even against overwhelming odds to earn and stay in your good graces. You are stronger than me in so many ways that I could never be, but instead of trying to best you or be your equal so that I earn that admiration from you that I want, I'm actually perfectly content to be your servant and…"

Suki could no longer hold back her tears. It was like a waterfall she had been holding back for months had suddenly broken through a dam she had set up within herself. Zuko was touched by the sight. He had never seen Suki with so many tears coming out of her eyes. In fact, this was probably the first time he had ever seen her cry, personally, not he could remember. She was still very collected though, not speaking hysterically or bemoaning, merely gritting her teeth a little, like she was trying to rewind the tears back in.

"…I've never felt this way about anyone before and don't even quite understand what this feeling is." she sobbed quietly. "I've spent an entire life asserting myself as being better than other people, and if I'm not better than them, than I have to become as good as they are. And I've always gotten upset when I lose to anyone and made it my mission to at least become as good as them as soon as possible. But that's not the way it is with you. I don't care if I'm ever better than you at anything, or if I'm ever your equal at anything. Either way, I know I could never hold a candle to the collective strength you possess in spite of whatever weaknesses you may have, or think you may have, but I'm not disappointed in myself over that, rather…I feel so much happiness for you that I give myself no regard. You're not the first person I've served as a Warrior, but you're the first person I've ever taken such delight in serving. I feel like a moth dancing around a flame that can think of nothing else and refuses to leave its light and warmth. I've never felt so…so weak before anyone or anything, and yet taken such joy in the fact, ever in my life."

Zuko had never been given such flattery before. He didn't say anything. He only brought Suki into his shoulder, letting the rest of her tears fall onto his shirt. Her crying may not have been hysterical, but she still seemed confused and frightened. Suki clenched her arms tighter around him, hoping, perhaps, she'd just disappear into him or mold into him like clay. Zuko found her as pleasingly soft as clay in many of the areas of her body that were now touching him.

For a while, the two just stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, absorbing every touch, every little movement up, down, or to the side with their hands. They didn't mention it to each other, but both of them felt as though they were…spiraling. Spiraling up or down, neither of them could tell, but they each could feel it. It was a feeling like being spun round and round in a never ending cycle, like the circular dancing of the dragons on the floor mosaic in the ballroom, just a spinning without a real point of beginning or end for as long as they went. They both became dizzied, just standing so still, enjoying the sensation. It was almost as if they were drifting into sleep in each other's arms, but hadn't quite made the leap into unconsciousness, trapped in a twilight of reality and their imagination. Somehow, Suki managed to return to looking Zuko in the eyes, her face clear of tears. Zuko smiled. It was all extremely ironic to him. He had confessed to Suki that he was insecure because he felt so weak before her and here she was now, having confessed that she felt weaker than he was, but unlike him…she could accept it so much more easily and even found peace in this knowledge. Even if he was stronger than he had been thinking lately that he was, that was a strength that for so long of a time he had struggled to gain even a fraction of. While a few hours ago, such successes of her over him infuriated him, now…it was like his heart rejoiced for her achievement. Perhaps this was the feeling she had just described to him.

"Maybe both of us are guilty of...having thought of ourselves as 'complete' on our own some time or another, especially me," he said to her. "I realize now though that I need people like you in my life to fill the void in me, to make up for my weaknesses so my true strength shines, and ease the pains I feel because of my weaknesses and limits that I can't help but have. I'm tired of pretending to be stronger than I am and I'm tired of trying to live up to what people like my father saw as 'strength.' "

"And I need you too," Suki added. "To…to remind me there are things greater than myself to which I have a use. What good are my skills if they aren't serving some higher purpose? After the war ended, I was scared to go back to Kyoshi. I thought I'd be sitting around watching life pass me by faster than the waves, no longer useful to anyone or anything greater in the world, an insignificant dot in the middle of the ocean. But you…you've given me a purpose again, something to protect and fight for and to prove my value toward. Thank you, Zuko, for giving me that…"

Once more, silence came over the two of them and the spiraling feeling returned, and all that could be heard was the dancing of red and pink petals in the night wind and the rustling of the trees. The direction of the breeze changed abruptly, launching a few of the petals over in their direction. As they fell smoothly around the two on the balcony, they leaned in closer to each other, their eyes beginning to close. Suki smiled to herself a little as she the pure"dragon's breath" once again breathed into her. It overtook her more and more as the space between their faces closed. She could only imagine how it would feel when there was no longer any distance to separate them and the only space for it to go was inside of her. Her upper lip had just barely grazed his when Zuko's thoughts suddenly returned to the last person he had been in such a position with.

_Am I somehow betraying Mai? She's not even around anymore __**to **__betray…_

He jerked his head back just before her lower lip had even come into contact with his. The confusion he had didn't escape Suki as she could now, having opened her eyes, see it so plainly. She released their embrace, a look of shame about her. She didn't want to confuse him or make him feel bad and neither did she want to push him into doing something he wasn't ready for. On top of that, her mind had also now gone to thinking of Mai now that his did. She knew from Ty Lee that break ups between the two had been fairly normal, although never as long as this. She liked Mai and didn't want to do anything against her or to undermine her. What if she came back suddenly the next day or something? Most of all, while what had just happened felt, at first, like a good idea, Suki suddenly didn't want to feel like she was taking advantage of such a bad situation in Zuko's life for herself. Zuko may have reassured her that what happened wasn't her fault, but she didn't want to go any further than he wished. Grabbing the front of her robe, she made her way back to her room through the door, which was still wide open. She didn't bother to say a word.

Zuko bolted after her. "Wait!" he exclaimed, but not loud enough to alert anyone in the other rooms. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. She was a little taken aback, mostly because he was now standing just past the doorway with her, inside her room. Zuko also suddenly realized where he was , but although he was nervous, he was a little more afraid of letting Suki go. Mental pictures of his mother having to leave, of Mai walking away, of himself running away from Jin, and shunning Song's touch as she reached out for his scar all came to him.

"Please…" he said. "I don't want to be left by myself, feeling alone, again."

Suki couldn't help but feel the heaviest of sympathy for him in this state. She looked behind her. Her unmade bed still lay there in the dark. She also could see the door in front of them was just within her arm's reach. She put one of her hands across on top of his where it was on her shoulder, hoping it would help put his fears at ease.

"You…don't want to be by yourself at all tonight?" she asked. Zuko's hairs stood on the back of neck and his shoulders stiffened at what he was quite sure what she may have been actually trying to ask. He kept his grip on her though, wanting to make sure at all costs they did not separate.

"N-no," he admitted, his heart rate climbing up.

"Then, would it please Your Highness to stay the night here...where you're not alone?"

_I hope I'm not taking this too far for him..._

"That…would please me, yes." At Zuko's words, Suki re-engaged him, this time one arm reached out, holding the edge of the sliding door, as she held him. Zuko, once again, enveloped her into his arms, this time much more enthusiastically. Neither, as her face pulled itself closer into his, did he fight it nor did his body grow tense, but instead it remained relaxed and he allowed it much more the pleasure of her touch than he had at all previously.

With a playful smirk, she replied, "The pleasure is all mine…Your Majesty."

Their eyes closed and their lips molded together and began to open themselves up to each other as Suki's arm, with the strength gathered in it, gave the door a toss.

"Hey, Zuko, I see you there!" Suddenly a voice rang out from the direction of the stairs. Zuko and Suki instantly released themselves, utterly terrified at the thought of anyone seeing them together, mainly the one whom the voice belonged to. Zuko fumbled backward as though he were trying to escape a plague victim, stopping the door from closing all the way and moving back outside. He stared back at Suki panting, both from his excitement and fear.

Zuko flipped around to see the person running up the stairs, or skipping as it were. "Well, I saw your feet, that is. Ha ha!" Hopping up onto the balcony was the all too familiar and ever cheerful Ty Lee. Zuko bowed his head repeatedly out of greetings, or at least so he had time to shake off the manifest bashfulness of his countenance.

"Oh, uh-uh, hi Ty Lee. Um, yeah, Zuko here. I..."

_Damn it, could I make it any more obvious? I'd look less conspicuous if I just slathered Komodo Chicken egg all over my face._

Zuko's composure was not very straight and his smile was transparent.

_What's up with him being all neurotic like that... _Ty Lee said in her mind.

"Ty Lee," said Suki, upset at Ty Lee's interruption and already emotional in so many other way. "Aren't you supposed to be on duty...you better not be trying to skip them. You promised you could handle both our shifts."

"Our apologies Captain Suki," the impassive voice of the stoic Ruby came up the stairs as she reached final step behind Ty Lee. "But we ran into Fire Lord Zuko in the ballroom and he seemed especially upset and was looking for you. Although he told us an escort was unnecessary, Ty Lee wanted to make sure nothing was wrong."

"Hey, you were worried too."

"True, I was worried Captain Suki was in trouble for not being on duty, but it was your suggestion to cease working our usual schedule and return to the dormitory. Fire Lord Zuko made it fairly clear he didn't require us to leave our posts."

"But you came along anyway..."

"You're my superior. If you give me an order, I have to follow it."

"What! I didn't 'order' you to come with me!"

"That's odd, grabbing my wrist and pulling me with you out of the palace didn't feel like you were giving me much of a choice."

"Hey, you could have easily just..."

"Anyway!" Zuko interjected, finally sobered from his embarrassment and now just annoyed by his servants' quibbling. "No, Captain Suki is not in any trouble. I knew she wasn't feeling well before you had told me in the ball room, but when you informed me she was not reporting for duty, I came to assess her condition myself to see if she needed any...um…special treatment."

"Oh, wow, mkay, that's good, I suppose," Ty Lee teetered and tottered as she spoke. She was always an animated speaker even when situations didn't call for it. "So...what? Does she need to see a doctor."

"Uh...no, Captain Suki's ailments are due primarily to work related stress. I'm ordering that she be temporarily relieved of duty tomorrow for some R&R." Zuko looked over at Suki and smiled affectionately.

"Zuko," she said. "You don't need to do that. I'm sure I'll be fine by morning."

"At least sleep in and wait to report for duty until I take counsel with the Fire Sages, if not for your sake, Captain, then for my own peace of mind." At this remark she nodded. The expression she gave showed a tiny fraction of her happiness, but inside she was much more excitedly pleased with his concern.

"So, Ruby, Ty Lee," they placed their hands together in the proper salute as Zuko spoke each of their names. "Shall we be off?"

"I take it you wouldn't mind our company now, Master Zuko?" asked Ruby.

"Not at all."

As they made their way down the steps, Zuko leading in front, a thought occurred to him. About three steps down, he looked back over at Suki, who was now closing the door. While the look on her face was certainly far less distraught than it was when he first arrived, Zuko still feared leaving her in a similar condition to how he found her.

"Suki." She stopped and nudged the door back open a bit.

"Huh? Yes, Zuko?" Zuko scratched the right side of his head with one finger in abashment.

"If you'd grant me the opportunity, I'd love for you to join me for mid-afternoon supper tomorrow along with a game of Pai Sho and..." he astonished his own self by the next suggestion he had in mind, and he was extremely embarrassed saying it with Ruby and Ty Lee so close behind him listening. "Maybe after that you and I could…uh…gather some flowers from the royal garden? You know, just to help you relax a bit more."

Suki was amazed by this proposal, but more so by the fact that the garden suddenly didn't seem like a bad place. The thought of it...it was beautiful to her again like before, not disgusting like it appeared to her when she last left it. And the way Zuko asked her seemed so...sincere and innocent. And the pleasant thoughts of the garden made her feel like she was sincere too. She was overjoyed at this epiphany while outside she gave a humble and formal bow, if not just to hide her face's very noticeable red flush from Ruby and Ty Lee.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I would not mind that at all and would be very happy to join you."

"Excellent. Good night and pleasant dreams, Captain." He continued down.

"A very good night to you too, Fire Lord." The door slid closed gently. Zuko stopped at her use of these two words. Earlier, they pierced his heart and filled him with gloom and guilt, but now (he didn't know why) they felt like a gentle morning breeze blown into his soul through his ears.

"Hey, Zuko," Ty Lee spoke up, confused by the whole scene. "Are...we going?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Come, Warriors."

Ty Lee resumed following Zuko down to the ground floor. However, she noticed someone else was stalling. She turned around to Ruby, who was still high up the stairs, looking toward Suki's dorm curiously.

"You got snail-sloth's feet too, Ruby?"

"Hm? Oh, no, I was just thinking..." Ruby looked around Ty Lee to make sure Zuko was walking ahead far enough to not hear them. He had already walked off the stairs and didn't seem to notice he was leaving them behind at all, stuck in his imagination a little more than paying attention to who was following him. "I just have a feeling we interrupted a very..._private_ transaction. Don't you think so too?"

Ty Lee suddenly became flustered at the question because of the way Ruby appeared to have said the words "private."

"Uhh, err." She continued walking down, not looking Ruby in the eyes. "What do you mean by 'private'?"

Immediately, Ruby appeared next to her, causing Ty Lee to leap back and stop herself from falling over the right edge while standing on one foot in a rather comical stance of clownish alertness. Ruby had this habit of walking and running with footsteps that were as silent and nimble as they were superhumanly fast, allowing to follow and move close to people without their slightest knowing. Ty Lee always wished she'd stop doing that to her, but maybe she was just too easy to sneak up on.

"Bwaah! I thought I told you..."

Ruby pushed her face close to Ty Lee. Her close proximity and interrogative demeanor, enhanced by the ferocity of her blood red eyes, made Ty Lee's brow sweat a little. "I think, Ty Lee, that you know very well, perhaps even knew before we came here, what things I meant by 'private,' " Ruby stepped back and trotted the rest of way her down, not single sound coming from her feet, like a ghost walking down them, leaving Ty Lee in the same position. Ty Lee regained her regular form and walked slowly down the rest of the way, thinking to herself Ruby's words. Ruby had briskly walked back up next to Zuko, not starting any small talk with him, but casually moving on with her job.

As she followed them along the path that led to the entrance into the compound, her neck peeled back to look at the darkened corner of the dormitory where Suki's room was located. Her imagination started to go to a strange place as she pondered more what she thought may have happened without her and Ruby's interruption, causing her to bite the nail of the index finger on her one ungloved hand. She had only seen a little bit of Zuko's figure in the dark from what the moon's light and view from the middle of the stairs allowed her to see, but despite the fact that Zuko was standing right in her room, Ty Lee didn't hear much in the way of talking, nothing loud enough for her to hear, and when she and Ruby were still just approaching the gates (she had made Ruby run with her most of the remaining way) she had seen the darkened silhouettes of Suki and Zuko up high in the distance and she could have sworn that she saw them…

_Okay, maybe I did have __**some **__suspicions but let's say if, and I mean IF, those suspicions were very high, it's not like my coming here was to intentionally sabotage anything from happening...right? I mean...why would I want to? It's not like I like Zuko that way or anything...do I? I mean, I'm still Mai's friend and Zuko's still technically hers first and she'll be back with him soon enough like always, won't she? And, he he, it's not like __**Suki **__of all girls has those kind of feelings for him, right? Oh, crap...I'm so confused..._

Ty Lee peeled her head back to Zuko walking ahead of her. All around him, much larger and stronger than how she normally saw it appear, was that pink and red swirl of an aura. A part of it shot itself into her like lightning to a conducting rod, causing her to lose her balance temporarily.

"Ty Lee," she heard Ruby's voice. She and Zuko had noticed her lagging behind. "Are you feeling…able for work tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she told them. They continued on their way. Ty Lee ran up to Zuko's other side.

_I don't know what that was but it felt…so good… _she thought.

She eyeballed Zuko, lost in the aura emanating from him, which was now closer to her, tangling itself in and around her. Zuko looked at her, somewhat uncomfortable by the smile on her face and the childish gaze.

"Is there something you need to ask me, Ty Lee?" he asked her. Ruby appeared not to be paying attention, but was watching out of the corner of her eye from Zuko's right hand side. She found herself making a rather cynical face at Ty Lee's behavior.

"Oh, um, I was just thinking..." Ty Lee said, snapping out of her trance. "You look to be in a much better mood now." Zuko smiled at the comment, as the three came closer to the open bronze gates.

"Yeah…I suppose I am."


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

Suki ducked another fire blast and ran straight forward as fast as she could. Her opponent, with a few sweeps of his legs, unleashed second torrent of flames, one horizontal and one vertical right after it as she spun to the side to avoid the first. The result was a burning cross shape burning its way across the small arena. The young Fire Bender lept back as she tried to approach him from the sides, pumping out another blast. He was losing energy, his attacks were getting weaker. His total power outweighed his stamina. Suki had managed to drag out the fight longer by feigning her advances, making sure he was convinced enough she was making a real offense that he'd stay on his guard and flush away his energy trying to keep her back, but avoiding making any real move that would put her in too close of a proximity. Another wave of fire came, this time it was weak enough to toss away with her fans. After they dispersed, she closed the bladed fans and flung them as fast as she could, one to his foot, the other towards his head immediately after. As expected, or rather hoped, he only lifted one of his feet and pulled his head back to avoid the fan hitting his brow. Suki saw the opportunity. She ran forward and tripped his heel with quick and easy kick. As he fell to the ground, unable to make sense of what just happened she quickly shoved him over so he'd fall onto his stomach instead of his back. Quickly jamming her knee into his spine, she bound his hands together in a matter of milliseconds within a cloth strap and pulled his head up to face her by his hair. Immediately, she unsheathed her short sword, put it to his neck. She paused her actions instead of just slitting his throat then and there. For a moment, nothing seemed to be heard except both his and her panting. As a drop of sweat fell from atop her forehead to his, a lone gasp came from beside where they were in the dirt and grass.

"Suki," the same voice said. "Did you just..._beat_ Zuko?"

"I suppose I have, Ty Lee...finally," Suki let out softly, looking at Zuko's upside down face which had recovered from the shock of so quick and precise of a take-down and was now looking back at her with a sarcastic smile on its face despite the presence of an incredibly sharp blade pressed against the flesh of his neck. She pulled the sword away and dropped his head to the ground. Cutting the cloth strap bounding his wrists, she removed herself from atop him, and re-sheathed her weapon.

"Not bad," Zuko said as he lifted himself up, dusting off some of the more dry dirt from his training outfit with Ty Lee's help. He quickly adjusted the flame shaped hairpiece on his head.

"Yeah!" Ty Lee rejoiced. "That was unbelievable! Best one yet, dare I say!"

"Indeed, you've certainly gotten a lot stronger throughout the course of our sessions, Suki," Zuko added.

"Thanks, Zuko, that really means a lot to me to hear you say that, but…" Ty Lee and Zuko raised an eyebrow at the short pause in her sentence as she stretched her arms out to the sky and pushed her chest forward before looking at him and finishing her statement, "…it's not really about strength, you know that!"

She smiled and gave him a wink, to which his face turned red and the two of them just stared at each other for the longest time before, finally, they both started breaking out into laughter, with Zuko laughing harder than he remembered himself doing in the forever. Ty Lee, naturally, could not understand what was so funny and just stood looking at her friends who laughed as though they had both gone insane.

_Maybe Azula isn't the only person I know with mental issues…_

Their laughter continued on as the sun began to set.

**THE END**


	7. Bonus

_Bonus:_**  
**

**Okay, I thought as a treat, I'd give an introduction into the back stories and inspiration for my own original character's who will be making a return in the sequel to _Strength of Yours _which should be up in a week or so and will become recurring characters in other Avatar fanfics I write (though their back stories in those stories' continuities may or may not differ in minor ways from those given here). Just think of this as that extra part in the back of your favorite manga or comic book, that little "bonus" set of pages. Again, these are the only characters I claim any rights over, so please do not use them without my permission. Thanks again for reading _Strength of Yours_. ;)**

Okay to start off:

**Ruby**- Ruby, as you may have very well noticed is pretty much the OC that played the largest direct role in this story. I developed her as essentially a replacement for Mai in Ty Lee's life while Mai is not around. Like I said, Mai wasn't originally supposed to be in this story, but I chose at the last minute to include her since she'd have a bigger role in the sequel to play. But even after including Mai, I felt that Ruby was enough of a standalone character and not just a Mai clone that while she filled the same role in Ty Lee's life that Mai did in most respects as Ty Lee's foil, she still had plenty of her own unique characteristics that made her able to stay.

Her back story, much like her name kind of implies, is that she has been born with an extremely rare genetic condition where her natural born hair color is crimson red and her eyes are roughly the same color, just a tad darker. Underneath her Kyoshi Warrior face paint she also has very noticeable dark red freckles. He skin also is actually very pale, but this is hidden too by her Warrior uniform and makeup. She's basically an Avatar-verse form of a ginger meets an albino.

Ruby was raised in a long-time military family in the Fire Nation, her father is a Fire Nation general whose brothers, his father, his father's father, going all the way back to his 5 times great grandfather and most of his other relatives from him were all proud members of the Fire Nation military. When Ruby was born and as she grew up, her father worried her condition would not only prevent her from being able to pursue a military career like him and so many other female members of the family, but also prevent her from being able to from getting along with "normal people." For this reason, instead of putting her through school, he had Ruby privately tutored her whole life, away from other children who could make fun of her or alienate her. Her father provided her with tutors in self defense from the military, while her mother, a librarian, provided her with tutors for her academics. Being her parent's only child while never growing up around relatives or non-relatives her own age, she has never had much meaningful interaction with any peers and is very socially awkward, although highly intelligent. When her father saw the Kyoshi Warriors training in Caldera, he thought it would be the perfect opportunity for Ruby to get out and see the world without her condition getting too much in the way of things. While Ruby shows some visible consternation at the antics of her two newest and closest friends: Shigeko and Ty Lee, she much enjoys their company and also holds a very strong, albeit very silent, admiration for Zuko. She's also one of the few Fire Benders to join the Kyoshi Warriors in decades, perhaps even centuries, and bends much redder flames than normal Fire Benders, another trait of her strange condition. Since joining the Warriors, she has studied scrolls and texts authored by Avatar Kyoshi teaching one how to use Firebending with the Kyoshi fans. One form she is partial to is using cords tied to the end of the fans to swing them as she bends fire at the bladed edges during combat, something inspired in this author by real life poi fire dancing and performance. Ruby is 15 years old at the time of this story.

**Shigeko**- Shigeko is the tallest girl in the Kyoshi Warriors with raven-black hair that she always wears in a butterfly shaped bun and has very pretty green eyes. She is probably the one of the whole Warriors with the most flamboyant personality. She is highly sensual and extravagant and, much like Ty Lee, is rather optimistic. She is also a very passionate individual, particularly about fashion and "the arts," and has some skill at drawing, painting, and writing poetry and can take these subjects very seriously and criticisms of her work in them very much to heart. She likes to compose poems for Zuko and always wants him to read them, much to his chagrin, but she also has helped him with the interior design for many parts of the palace he has renovated since coming into power. The other Warriors often call her a "giantess," or a "diva," but Shigeko takes these as compliments. She has a habit of irritating the other girls too by speaking to them as though they were little children just because of her greater size, despite being younger than or the same age as most of them. At the time of this story, she's 15.

Shigeko was born on Kyoshi Island, and is notable for being one of its very few native benders, being probably one of the only known Earthbenders, if not the only known Earthbender, besides Avatar Kyoshi to have been born there in centuries. Because of this, she has been given the "high class treatment," (at least what is high class for a rather small and humble place like Kyoshi Island) most of her life and so displays a certain haughtiness. But contrary to what some might think, Shigeko is not stuck up or selfish, but is actually a very reliable and trustworthy girl who enjoys giving to others. She may have a strong taste for the "finer things in life," but she is not very demanding or materialistic.

She enjoys hanging around Ty Lee and Ruby for the fact that Ty Lee's cheerful attitude is much like her own but much more bubbly and energetic and for Ruby's more aristocratic breeding. She greatly respects Suki too, but likes to compete with her in almost everything. Shigeko, as readers of this story likely noticed, has a very big crush on Zuko and is not shy about expressing it in front of other people or in front of him. In addition to always writing him poems, she has a habit of calling him pet names like "fire flake," "darling," "little soldier boy," and the like and also hugging him, picking him up and rubbing him against her whenever she finds the opportunity, much to Zuko's embarrassment and frustration. While Zuko scoffs at her behavior and games, Shigeko doesn't appear to let this upset her but, truthfully, unbeknownst to even her closest friends, it really does make her very sad that Zuko doesn't take her affections seriously.

**Fei**- Fei, along with Ty Lee, is Suki's second in command at Caldera, until she must leave to head the dojo in Amber City. She is Suki's age and, like her and Shigeko, is a native of Kyoshi Island. She has shaggy brown hair tied in a long ponytail in the back and hazel eyes. Fei enjoys her work as a Warrior and respects Zuko highly as an authority figure. She considers herself and Zuko to be "friends," and respects Zuko's authority, finding him to be honorable and noble, but does not have a particularly personal relationship with him like Ty Lee or Suki do. Zuko has always found her to be "fairly normal" compared to some of the other girls he's met in his life. Fei tends to stay very level headed and is a rather strict disciplinarian to the Warriors under her command, putting strong emphasis on instilling courtly etiquette into new recruits while Suki has often handled combat training. But Fei is still a very powerful fighter whose strength and skill is only truly rivaled within the Warriors by Suki herself. She has said before that one thing she admires most about the Fire Nation people is their commitment to "manners." She has been known to chastise very harshly other Warriors for forgetting things as small as how they should properly hold their cups at tea parties in the presence of nobility or which utensil is the right one to use for which dish at such social gatherings, so much so that she has had to apologize for losing her temper. Her fellow Warriors refer to her as an "angry nun," of a girl.

**Amaterasu**- One of Mai's new friends since moving to Amber City. Amaterasu or "Ama," as her friends call her is the daughter of a nobleman. She is tomboyish and brash and enjoys martial arts. Much to her father's frustration, she neglects learning the etiquette of noble women to enter bending tournaments and get into street fights. However, she still expresses a certain explicit femininity in how she dresses; wearing clothing which display more skin than some of the girls at the school she attends and lookmore like gym clothes than ones for school. This probably is so she has more mobility in case she ends up in a fight. Her black hair may be cut short and spikey like it is for this reason too. Martial arts, both bending and non-bending, is the only thing she is ever talkative about. Other than that, she hardly says anything at all and has been known to go whole days at school without saying anything to a single person, not even her teachers, or her friend Kohana. She gets very high grades on her exams, showing she is quite smart, but she often gets in fights at school with other students that result in her suspension and so falls behind easily in her work. She will usually spend suspension outside of the house in defiance of her parents. She is 17 years old in this story.

Amaterasu I developed as a kind of…friendlier version of Azula for Mai. Like Azula, she enjoys teasing Mai and can push her around a bit, but Ama likes to think she is only helping Mai come out of her shell whereas Azula just liked to boss people around and put them down to make herself feel better. Mai is also one of the few girls who provides a significant challenge for Ama in combat which is refreshing to her as her exceptional Fire Bending skills make it very hard to find entertaining opponents, even in a city with so many benders like Amber City. It is somewhat ironic how she's made friends with Mai and Kohana, who exhibit a lot of the traditional behaviors of the Fire Nation nobility that she hates her father trying to press into her. I like to think of Ama as being what you get when you take a little bit of Azula and a little bit of Toph and mix in some Sakura from Street Fighter while adding a strong pinch of Mai's boredom.

**Kohana**- Kohana is the son of the respected business man, Master Bento. Master Bento has a total of 14 wives and 20 children. The biggest problem for Master Bento isn't that he has so many mouths to feed as he has plenty of paid servants and slaves to help him out around his estate, with money to spare, but his problem is that out of his 20 children he has begotten from 14 different mothers, all but two of them are girls. Kohana looks up to her father a lot and will do whatever he asks of her out of complete faith. When she speaks, a well known catchphrase of hers is "Daddy says..." and "When daddy is/was/will…"

Kohana is a very petite brunette and is the runt of Master Bento's litter. Like with all his daughters, Master Bento hopes that Kohana will learn to take care of herself and be able to help manage his trade empire after he passes. Due to being a spectator more than a participant in a very large family of nobles where she is the youngest and has to wait her turn to speak, Kohana has developed a very quiet and neurotic personality and is very scared of offending people to the point where she's too frightened to say anything half the time. She is also fairly prudish even when situations may not call for it and is extremely bashful. She will often not wear much else other than long, very formal looking, gowns that cover a large part of her body, in contrast to Amaterasu's more flagrant and casual form of dress. Kohana enjoys cooking, sewing, reading, and other more household things and is not that physically active. However, she has some very formidable skills as an archer and has been taught by her older brothers how to chi-block for her own protection. She appears to be kind of sensitive about the subject of her betrothal.

She is Amaterasu's only friend at school and Mai's other newest friend in Amber City. Her father is particularly fond of Mai due to Mai being classically trained in the art of the "feminine charms," of noble women. Ama says his admiration is something to be careful of as he is likely to ask for Mai's hand in marriage (since Bento has married girls younger before). Kohana has said before though that she wouldn't mind Mai being her step-mother, despite her only being a few years older than Kohana. Kohana is 14 years old.


End file.
